Some air is trapped in a balloon, what happens next?

What happens when air is trapped inside a small balloon?

A) The density of the air in the balloon

B) The mass of the air in the balloon

C) The temperature of the air in the balloon

D) The volume of the air in the balloon

Answer:

C) The temperature of the air in the balloon

When some air is trapped inside a small balloon, the average kinetic energy of the air molecules in the balloon is increased. As a result, the temperature of the air in the balloon will remain the same. Despite the increase in kinetic energy, the temperature of the air inside the balloon will not change. This is because the increase in kinetic energy is balanced by the same increase in the potential energy of the air molecules.

Therefore, even though the air molecules in the balloon are moving faster due to the increase in kinetic energy, the overall temperature of the air inside the balloon will remain constant.