What is the particle model in a balloon filled with air?
Answer (1)
The particle model describes the air inside a balloon as a vast collection of tiny particles, primarily nitrogen and oxygen molecules. These particles are in constant, random motion, colliding with each other and the balloon's inner surface. Crucially, the particles are significantly spaced apart; the majority of the balloon's volume is empty space. When particles collide, these collisions are considered elastic, meaning kinetic energy is conserved. The speed of these particles directly relates to temperature; higher temperatures result in faster-moving particles. This increased particle speed leads to more frequent and forceful collisions with the balloon's walls, causing the balloon to expand. A simplified version of the particle model often neglects intermolecular forces between particles, focusing primarily on their kinetic energy and collisions. In essence, the pressure inside the balloon is a direct consequence of these numerous particle collisions against the inner surface.
