What happens to gas particles when temperature increases?

When the temperature increases, gas particles move faster and collide more frequently and with greater energy.

In more detail, the behaviour of gas particles is governed by the kinetic theory of gases. This theory states that gas particles are in constant, random motion and that the temperature of a gas is directly proportional to the average kinetic energy of its particles. Therefore, when the temperature of a gas increases, the average kinetic energy of the gas particles also increases. This means that the particles move faster.

As the particles move faster, they collide more frequently with each other and with the walls of their container. These collisions are perfectly elastic, meaning that no kinetic energy is lost during the collision, but energy can be transferred between particles. This results in a greater pressure if the gas is in a fixed volume.

Moreover, because the particles are moving faster, they also collide with greater energy. This increased collision energy can cause chemical reactions to occur more frequently or more rapidly, if the gas is part of a reactive system.

In summary, an increase in temperature leads to an increase in the speed, frequency and energy of collisions between gas particles. This can result in increased pressure and increased reaction rates.