A high-pressure tank of a gas on the International Space Station is hit by a small meteor. The meteor impact puts a pinhole in the tank, causing the gas to escape slowly into the vacuum of space. If the gas in the tank is kept at a temperature of 300 K, which of the following describes the changes to the temperature of the gas as it escapes out into space?

Chemistry: Principles and Reactions
8th Edition
ISBN:9781305079373
Author:William L. Masterton, Cecile N. Hurley
Publisher:William L. Masterton, Cecile N. Hurley
Chapter5: Gases
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 78QAP
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A high-pressure tank of a gas on the International Space Station is hit by a small meteor. The
meteor impact puts a pinhole in the tank, causing the gas to escape slowly into the vacuum of
space.
If the gas in the tank is kept at a temperature of 300 K, which of the following describes the
changes to the temperature of the gas as it escapes out into space?
Assume the gas behaves like an ideal gas.
O A. The gas gets hotter. As it leaks out into space, the gas expands, lowering the pressure of
the gas. Due to the relationships in the ideal gas law, this will cause the gas to heat up as it
moves out into space.
O B. The gas gets colder. As it leaks out into space, the gas expands, lowering the pressure of
the gas. Due to the relationships in the ideal gas law, this will cause the gas to cool down as
it moves out into space.
O C. The gas stays the same temperature. As it leaks out into space, the gas expands,
lowering the pressure of the gas. Due to the relationships in the ideal gas law, this will cause
no change in the temperature of the gas as it moves out into space.
O D. The gas gets hotter. The vacuum of space exerts a pull on the gas molecules in the tank
due to the difference in pressures. This pull increases the kinetic energy of the gas
molecules, causing the gas to heat up as it moves out into space.
O E. The gas gets colder. Space is extremely cold and the gas molecules entering space will
lose their kinetic energy rapidly. The loss of kinetic energy causes the gas to cool down as it
moves out into space.
Transcribed Image Text:A high-pressure tank of a gas on the International Space Station is hit by a small meteor. The meteor impact puts a pinhole in the tank, causing the gas to escape slowly into the vacuum of space. If the gas in the tank is kept at a temperature of 300 K, which of the following describes the changes to the temperature of the gas as it escapes out into space? Assume the gas behaves like an ideal gas. O A. The gas gets hotter. As it leaks out into space, the gas expands, lowering the pressure of the gas. Due to the relationships in the ideal gas law, this will cause the gas to heat up as it moves out into space. O B. The gas gets colder. As it leaks out into space, the gas expands, lowering the pressure of the gas. Due to the relationships in the ideal gas law, this will cause the gas to cool down as it moves out into space. O C. The gas stays the same temperature. As it leaks out into space, the gas expands, lowering the pressure of the gas. Due to the relationships in the ideal gas law, this will cause no change in the temperature of the gas as it moves out into space. O D. The gas gets hotter. The vacuum of space exerts a pull on the gas molecules in the tank due to the difference in pressures. This pull increases the kinetic energy of the gas molecules, causing the gas to heat up as it moves out into space. O E. The gas gets colder. Space is extremely cold and the gas molecules entering space will lose their kinetic energy rapidly. The loss of kinetic energy causes the gas to cool down as it moves out into space.
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