Which of the following statements is true regarding the relationship between the average kinetic energy and the root mean square (RMS) speed of gas molecules?
Correct: B
Let's recall the formulas:
Average Kinetic Energy per molecule (KE_avg) = (3/2)kT, where k is Boltzmann's constant and T is the absolute temperature. KE_avg depends *only* on the absolute temperature and is independent of the mass or type of gas molecule.
Root Mean Square (RMS) speed (u_rms) = √(3RT/M), where R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, and M is the molar mass of the gas. u_rms depends on *both* the absolute temperature and the molar mass of the gas.
Therefore, statement B is the correct description of their relationship.