Original Project
Atoms, Molecules, and States of Matter
Item AM032005: The average speed of water molecules in a closed container kept at a constant temperature stays the same.
A container of water was closed and kept at a constant temperature. Which of the following statements about the motion of the water molecules is TRUE?
- The water molecules stopped moving.
- The average speed of the water molecules stayed the same.
- The average speed of the water molecules increased a little bit.
- The average speed of the water molecules decreased a little bit.
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 3834 |
6–8 n = 2792 |
9–12 n = 1033 |
Male n = 1905 |
Female n = 1894 |
English n = 3400 |
Other n = 383 |
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| A. | The water molecules stopped moving. | 12% | 13% | 9% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 13% |
| B. | The average speed of the water molecules stayed the same. | 56% | 52% | 67% | 57% | 55% | 57% | 44% |
| C. | The average speed of the water molecules increased a little bit. | 17% | 19% | 12% | 17% | 18% | 16% | 25% |
| D. | The average speed of the water molecules decreased a little bit. | 15% | 16% | 13% | 14% | 16% | 15% | 18% |