Which of the following best explains the cause of the pressure that a gas exerts on the walls of its container according to the ideal gas law?

• A. The attraction between gas molecules
• B. The temperature of the container walls
• C. The collisions of gas molecules with the container walls
• D. The volume occupied by individual gas molecules

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that according to the kinetic molecular theory, gas pressure arises from the force exerted when gas molecules collide with the walls of their container.
2. Understand that the ideal gas law, \(PV = nRT\), relates pressure (\(P\)), volume (\(V\)), amount of gas (\(n\)), gas constant (\(R\)), and temperature (\(T\)), but it does not directly describe molecular attractions or volume.
3. Recognize that the pressure is not caused by attractions between molecules, since ideal gases assume no intermolecular forces.
4. Note that the temperature of the container walls affects the average kinetic energy of gas molecules, but the pressure itself results from molecular collisions, not the temperature of the walls directly.
5. Conclude that the best explanation for gas pressure is the collisions of gas molecules with the container walls, as these collisions transfer momentum and exert force per unit area, which defines pressure.