Which of the following gases has the lowerst rate of diffusion under the same conditions of temperature and pressure? [H = 1, O = 16, Ne = 20, CI = 35]

Answer Details

Under the same conditions of temperature and pressure, gases with higher molar mass diffuse more slowly than those with lower molar mass. This is because heavier gas molecules have a slower average speed compared to lighter gas molecules. Therefore, among the given options, chlorine (CI) with a molar mass of 35 g/mol has the highest molar mass and hence the lowest rate of diffusion. In contrast, hydrogen (H) with a molar mass of 1 g/mol has the lowest molar mass and hence the highest rate of diffusion. Neon (Ne) and oxygen (O) have molar masses of 20 g/mol and 16 g/mol, respectively, and therefore have diffusion rates between those of hydrogen and chlorine.