What would happen if a scuba tank (a rigid, sealed gas cylinder) heats up?
a
The density of the gas in the tank would increase.
b
The size of the gas particles in the tank would increase.
c
The number of particles in the tank would increase.
d
The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
d) The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
d) The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
When a scuba tank (a rigid, sealed gas cylinder) heats up, the gas molecules contained inside the tank gain kinetic energy and move faster. This increase in kinetic energy leads to more collisions between gas molecules and the walls of the tank, resulting in an increase in pressure. According to the ideal gas law, an increase in temperature leads to an increase in pressure, assuming the volume and number of gas molecules remain constant.
The correct answer is (d) The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
To understand why, let's consider the Ideal Gas Law, which states that the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature when its volume and the number of particles remain constant. Mathematically, this law can be represented as:
PV = nRT
Where:
P = pressure
V = volume
n = number of particles (moles)
R = gas constant
T = temperature in Kelvin
In this case, a scuba tank is a rigid, sealed gas cylinder, so its volume remains constant. Therefore, if the temperature of the gas inside the tank increases, according to the Ideal Gas Law, the pressure of the gas will also increase. This happens because, as the temperature increases, the gas particles inside the tank gain kinetic energy and move more rapidly, colliding with the walls of the cylinder with more force, resulting in an increase in pressure.
So, if a scuba tank heats up, the pressure exerted by the gas inside the tank will increase.