PHYSICS · Single correct · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
An ideal gas is initially at pressure P0, volume V0, and temperature T0. The gas is suddenly compressed to one-third of its original volume, and at the same time its Kelvin temperature is doubled. Which statement best accounts for the resulting pressure in microscopic terms?
(a) Pressure rises by nine times because particle collisions with the wall occur three times as often and each collision is three times as forceful.
(b) Pressure doubles because the higher temperature doubles the force of each collision, while the collision frequency is essentially unchanged.
(c) Pressure rises because particles now strike the walls about six times more frequently while the force of each collision remains essentially unchanged.
(d) Pressure stays the same because the increased collision frequency exactly offsets the reduced force of each collision created by the compression.