Which of the following statements about the application of the Ideal Gas Law to the atmospheres of the outer planets is correct?

• A. None of the outer planets have a gravitational force greater than Earth's, so the Ideal Gas Law cannot be applied to their atmospheres.
• B. The Ideal Gas Law is not applicable to any of the outer planets due to their low temperatures and lack of atmospheric gases.
• C. Only one of the outer planets has a gravitational force greater than Earth's, making the Ideal Gas Law applicable only to that planet.
• D. The Ideal Gas Law can be used to estimate atmospheric pressure on all four outer planets, but their higher gravitational forces compared to Earth result in denser atmospheres.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the Ideal Gas Law formula: \(P \times V = n \times R \times T\), where \(P\) is pressure, \(V\) is volume, \(n\) is moles of gas, \(R\) is the gas constant, and \(T\) is temperature.
2. Understand that the Ideal Gas Law relates pressure, volume, temperature, and amount of gas, and it can be applied to any gaseous system under ideal conditions regardless of location, including planetary atmospheres.
3. Consider the gravitational force of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), which is generally stronger than Earth's, leading to higher atmospheric pressure and density due to the greater weight of the gas layers.
4. Recognize that low temperatures and different atmospheric compositions on outer planets do not invalidate the Ideal Gas Law; rather, they affect the values of \(T\) and \(n\) in the equation, but the law itself remains applicable.
5. Conclude that the Ideal Gas Law can be used to estimate atmospheric pressure on all outer planets, and their higher gravity results in denser atmospheres compared to Earth.