The specific heat of a polyatomic gas is greater than the specific heat of a monatomic gas because:
A)the polyatomic gas does more positive work when energy is absorbed as heat
B)the monatomic gas does more positive work when energy is absorbed as heat
C)the energy absorbed by the polyatomic gas is split among more degrees of freedom
D)the pressure is greater in the diatomic gas
E)a monatomic gas cannot hold as much heat

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polyatomic gases have more degrees of freedom than monatomic gases, meaning the energy absorbed by the gas is split among more ways the gas can store energy, such as just translational motion but also rotational and vibrational motion of the atoms/molecules. This means that in order to increase the temperature of the gas, more energy must be absorbed, leading to a higher specific heat.

The Specific Heat of a Polyatomic Gas Is Greater Than