Laith notices that the air in his science classroom is much warmer than the air in his math classroom. Which statement describes how the air particles are different in his colder math classroom?
A. They move faster on average
B. They are vibrating
C. They have less average energy
D. They move more freely
ANS: C
• A is incorrect because particles have less energy and move slower, not faster, in a colder material. • B is incorrect because particles have less energy and are closer, not farther apart, in a colder material.
• C is correct because particles have less energy in a colder material such as the colder air in the math classroom.
• D is incorrect because particles have less energy and move less freely if a material is colder.
D. They move more freely. Just like my dance moves when I'm trying to keep warm!
C. They have less average energy
To determine how the air particles are different in his colder math classroom, we can consider the properties of gases and how temperature affects them.
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance. In a colder environment, the particles have less kinetic energy compared to a warmer environment.
A. They move faster on average: This statement would be true for the air particles in the warmer science classroom, as higher temperature generally increases the average kinetic energy of particles, causing them to move faster.
B. They are vibrating: This statement is not necessarily true or false, as vibrations can occur in gases at any temperature. Vibrations refer to the movement of particles around their equilibrium positions. The intensity of vibrations may depend on factors such as temperature or pressure, but alone, it does not specifically indicate a colder or warmer environment.
C. They have less average energy: This statement accurately describes the air particles in the colder math classroom. In a colder environment, the air particles have less kinetic energy, resulting in a lower average energy.
D. They move more freely: This statement is not necessarily true or false. The freedom of movement of gas particles does not directly correlate with temperature. Particle freedom of movement can depend on other factors such as pressure or container size.
Based on the explanations above, the correct statement to describe how the air particles are different in his colder math classroom would be:
C. They have less average energy