What happens to gas pressure if the volume is held constant and the temperature is increased?

• A. Gas pressure remains unchanged
• B. Gas pressure decreases
• C. Gas pressure increases
• D. Gas pressure fluctuates

Answer: (C)

When the volume of a gas is held constant and its temperature is increased, the behavior of the gas can be explained by Gay-Lussac's Law, which states that the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature when the volume is kept constant.

As the temperature of the gas rises, the kinetic energy of the gas molecules increases. This increase in kinetic energy causes the molecules to move faster and collide with the walls of their container more forcefully and more often. Since pressure is defined as the force exerted per unit area, more frequent and more forceful collisions lead to an overall increase in pressure.

Therefore, in a confined space where the volume cannot change, the increase in temperature results directly in an increase in gas pressure. This relationship is crucial in various applications, including understanding how gases behave in closed systems under varying thermal conditions.