Question

When an ideal gas undergoes unrestrained expansion, no cooling occurs because the molecules:

• A. Are above the inversion temperature
• B. Exert no attractive forces on each other
• C. Do work equal to the loss in kinetic energy
• D. Collide without loss of energy

Answer 1

The correct option is B Exert no attractive forces on each other

In ideal gas, no work is required to tear apart the molecules due to the absence of attractive forces in an ideal gas. Hence when any ideal gas undergoes unrestrained expansion, no cooling occurs.