If a balloon is taken outside on a very cold day, what will occur?
a
Gas will flow into the balloon.
b
The volume of the balloon will increase.
c
The volume of the balloon will decrease.
d
The pressure inside the balloon will increase.
c) The volume of the balloon will decrease.
c
The volume of the balloon will decrease.
When a balloon is taken outside on a very cold day, the cold temperature causes the gas molecules inside the balloon to slow down and lose energy. As a result, the gas molecules come closer together, leading to a decrease in volume of the balloon.
The correct answer is c. The volume of the balloon will decrease.
Explanation:
When a balloon is taken outside on a very cold day, the temperature of the air around the balloon decreases. As temperature decreases, the average kinetic energy of the gas particles inside the balloon decreases as well.
According to the ideal gas law, the volume of a fixed amount of gas is directly proportional to the temperature of the gas, assuming pressure remains constant. Therefore, as the temperature decreases, the volume of the gas inside the balloon decreases. This happens because the gas particles move slower and take up less space.
It is important to note that the answer options a and d are incorrect because they suggest an increase in gas flow or pressure, which would not happen when the balloon is exposed to cold temperatures. Similarly, answer option b is incorrect as it states that the volume of the balloon will increase, whereas we know that it will actually decrease.