Which change to the system would cause the freely-moving piston to lower?
Responses
A Apply heat to the gas particles.Apply heat to the gas particles.
B Reduce the atmospheric pressure.Reduce the atmospheric pressure.
C Place the system in an ice bath.Place the system in an ice bath.
D Add more gas molecules to the system.
C Place the system in an ice bath.
To determine which change to the system would cause the freely-moving piston to lower, we need to understand how the different factors affect the gas particles and the pressure inside the system.
A) Applying heat to the gas particles: When heat is applied to a gas, the average kinetic energy of the gas particles increases. As a result, the gas particles gain more energy and move faster, leading to an increase in pressure. Therefore, applying heat to the gas particles would not cause the piston to lower.
B) Reducing the atmospheric pressure: The atmospheric pressure acts on the outside of the system and pushes against the piston. If the external pressure is reduced, there will be a pressure imbalance, and the higher pressure inside the system will cause the piston to move downward or lower. Therefore, reducing the atmospheric pressure would cause the freely-moving piston to lower.
C) Placing the system in an ice bath: Placing the system in an ice bath will lower the temperature of the gas particles. When the temperature decreases, the average kinetic energy of the gas particles decreases, causing them to slow down. As a result, the pressure inside the system decreases, and the piston will rise rather than lower.
D) Adding more gas molecules to the system: By adding more gas molecules to the system, the number of gas particles increases. With more gas particles, there will be an increase in the frequency and magnitude of particle collisions, resulting in an increase in pressure. Therefore, adding more gas molecules to the system would not cause the piston to lower.
In conclusion, the correct answer is B) Reduce the atmospheric pressure. This change will create a pressure imbalance, causing the piston to lower.