What happens to the pressure of a gas when it is confined in a smaller space?

When a gas is confined in a smaller space, the pressure of the gas increases. This phenomenon can be explained by understanding the principles of gas behavior, particularly as outlined in the ideal gas law, which states that pressure is directly related to the volume of the gas when temperature and the number of moles of gas are held constant.

When the volume available to the gas decreases (the space becomes smaller), the gas molecules have less room to move. As a result, they collide more frequently with the walls of the container. Since pressure is defined as the force exerted by gas molecules when they collide with a surface, an increase in the frequency of these collisions leads to greater pressure within the confined space.

This behavior can also be understood through the concept of Boyle’s Law, which states that for a fixed amount of gas at constant temperature, the pressure of the gas is inversely proportional to its volume. Therefore, reducing the volume of the gas leads to an increase in pressure.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent the behavior of gases under confinement. Pressure decreasing would imply that the gas is expanding into a larger volume. Pressure remaining constant would suggest that changes in volume have no effect, which is not supported by the principles of gas