At which temperature and pressure would a sample of helium behave most like an ideal gas?

• A. Low temperature and low pressure
• B. Low temperature and high pressure
• C. High temperature and low pressure
• D. High temperature and high pressure

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that an ideal gas is a hypothetical gas whose particles do not interact and occupy no volume, so real gases behave most like ideal gases under conditions where intermolecular forces and molecular volume are negligible.
2. Understand that at high temperatures, the kinetic energy of gas particles is high, which overcomes intermolecular attractions, making the gas behave more ideally.
3. Recognize that at low pressures, gas particles are far apart, reducing the effect of their finite volume and intermolecular forces, which also promotes ideal gas behavior.
4. Combine these insights to conclude that gases behave most like ideal gases at high temperature and low pressure.
5. Therefore, the sample of helium would behave most like an ideal gas at high temperature and low pressure.