According to the Maxwellian speed distribution, as the temperature increases the number of molecules with speeds within a small interval near the most probable speed:
A)increases
B)decreases
C)increases at high temperatures and decreases at low
D)decreases at high temperatures and increases at low
E)stays the same

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the Maxwellian speed distribution, as temperature increases, the most probable speed of the molecules increases and the distribution curve flattens out. This means that there are fewer molecules with speeds within a small interval near the most probable speed at higher temperatures. Thus, the correct choice is B, as the number of molecules with speeds within a small interval near the most probable speed decreases.

According to the Maxwellian Speed Distribution, as the Temperature Increases