Texas A&M University (TAMU) CHEM107 General Chemistry for Engineering Students Exam 2 Practice

Gas molecules experience negligible attractive or repulsive forces in relation to each other. This characteristic is a fundamental principle in the kinetic molecular theory of gases, which states that the distance between gas particles is significantly greater than their sizes, allowing them to act independently.

In a gas, particles move freely and occupy a large volume, which means that any intermolecular forces are minimal compared to the energy of the particles moving within the gas. The kinetic energy of gas molecules is much higher than any potential energy resulting from intermolecular interactions. Hence, under typical conditions, the forces between gas molecules can be treated as negligible, allowing for the ideal gas behavior where gas laws apply.

In contrast, stronger forces are observed in liquids and solids due to closer packing of molecules, which significantly influences their properties. Therefore, in the context of gases, the interactions between molecules do not play a crucial role, affirming that the appropriate description of these forces is negligible.