Which of the following best describes the particles of an ideal gas according to the kinetic molecular theory?

• A. They experience strong attractive forces between each other.
• B. They move in random, straight-line motion until they collide.
• C. They lose energy during collisions with other particles.
• D. They have negligible volume compared to the container.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the main postulates of the kinetic molecular theory for ideal gases, which describe the behavior of gas particles.
2. Understand that according to the theory, gas particles are considered to have negligible volume compared to the container, meaning their size is very small relative to the space they occupy.
3. Recognize that ideal gas particles move in random, straight-line motion until they collide with either the container walls or other particles, and these collisions are perfectly elastic (no energy loss).
4. Note that the theory assumes there are no significant attractive or repulsive forces between the particles; they do not experience strong intermolecular forces.
5. Summarize that the best description of ideal gas particles is that they move randomly in straight lines, have negligible volume, and collide elastically without losing energy.