What does the term 'ideal gas' refer to under high temperature and low pressure?

The term 'ideal gas' describes a theoretical gas composed of many particles that are in constant, random motion and that interact only through elastic collisions. Under conditions of high temperature and low pressure, the assumptions of the ideal gas law become more valid, as the volume occupied by gas molecules is negligible compared to the volume of the container, and intermolecular forces are minimal.

When considering high temperature and low pressure, gas molecules indeed experience rapid collisions. This is because, at high temperatures, the kinetic energy of the gas molecules increases, causing them to move faster and collide with each other and the walls of their container more frequently. Additionally, at low pressures, the molecules are more spread out, which further increases the rate of collisions as there is more space for the molecules to move without significant interaction with others.

This behavior aligns with the ideal gas concept, which assumes that gas particles are point-like and do not exert forces on one another outside of collisions. Thus, rapid collisions are a hallmark of ideal gas behavior under these specific conditions, distinguishing it from real gases, which may experience stronger interactions or occupy a significant volume under different circumstances.