Jessica took a mylar balloon outside on a very cold day. As she waited for the bus the balloon began to shrink. What is the best explanation of this?
Responses
A As the particles became cooler, they lost energy and moved less, resulting in less pressure on the balloon.As the particles became cooler, they lost energy and moved less, resulting in less pressure on the balloon.
B As the particles became cooler, they gained energy and moved less, resulting in less pressure on the balloon.As the particles became cooler, they gained energy and moved less, resulting in less pressure on the balloon.
C As the particles became cooler, they lost energy and moved less, resulting in more pressure on the balloon.As the particles became cooler, they lost energy and moved less, resulting in more pressure on the balloon.
D As the particles became cooler, they gained energy and moved less, resulting in more pressure on the balloon.
A As the particles became cooler, they lost energy and moved less, resulting in less pressure on the balloon.
The best explanation is A: As the particles became cooler, they lost energy and moved less, resulting in less pressure on the balloon.
When Jessica took the mylar balloon outside on a very cold day, the surrounding temperature caused the air particles inside the balloon to cool down. When air cools down, the particles lose energy and move less vigorously. This decrease in movement results in less pressure being exerted on the balloon's walls. As a result, the balloon begins to shrink.
To arrive at this explanation, we can use our understanding of the behavior of gases. Gases consist of numerous tiny particles that are constantly moving and colliding with each other and the walls of their container. The motion of these particles creates pressure, which is responsible for inflating the balloon.
When the temperature decreases, the energy of the gas particles decreases as well. This leads to reduced movement and fewer collisions with the balloon's walls. Consequently, the pressure exerted by the gas inside the balloon decreases, causing the balloon to shrink.
Overall, this explanation aligns with our knowledge of the behavior of gases and how temperature affects their properties.