Question 1 Report
Fig. 5.2 shows the particles of a gas before and after the gas is warmed. After warming, the arrows on the particles are longer.
What has happened to the average kinetic energy of the particles?
After warming, the arrows on the particles are longer, indicating the particles are moving faster. Faster particles have greater kinetic energy, since \( E_k = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \). Therefore the average kinetic energy of the particles has increased.
Temperature is directly related to the average kinetic energy of the particles. When a gas is heated, energy is transferred to the particles, increasing their speed and thus their kinetic energy. The kinetic energy cannot fall to zero (the particles are still moving), stay the same (the arrows are clearly longer), or decrease (the gas was warmed, not cooled).
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