Which of the following statements best describes the behavior of gas particles as explained by kinetic molecular theory?

• A. Gas particles occupy a significant fraction of the total volume of the container.
• B. Gas particles lose energy with each collision, causing the temperature to decrease over time.
• C. Gas particles are in constant, random motion and collide elastically with each other and the walls of the container.
• D. Gas particles are attracted to each other by strong intermolecular forces.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the main postulates of the kinetic molecular theory (KMT) of gases, which describe the behavior of ideal gas particles.
2. Understand that according to KMT, gas particles are considered to be in constant, random motion, moving in straight lines until they collide with either other particles or the container walls.
3. Note that these collisions are elastic, meaning that there is no net loss of kinetic energy during collisions; energy is conserved.
4. Recognize that gas particles are assumed to have negligible volume compared to the container volume, so they do not occupy a significant fraction of the container's volume.
5. Also, according to KMT, there are no significant intermolecular forces acting between gas particles, so they do not attract or repel each other strongly.