Asked by jayden

A student is investigating how temperature affects particle motion. She partially blows up a balloon and measures its circumference. Next, she places the balloon in a container above warm water. After 20 minutes, she measures the balloon and records her observations. Then, she places the warm balloon in the freezer for 20 minutes. She removes the balloon from the freezer, measures the balloon again, and records her observations.



The student's investigation and observations are shown.




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After the student removes the balloon from the freezer, she leaves it sitting on a table at room temperature for 20 minutes. What will she MOST LIKELY observe?


The balloon will not change.


The balloon will shrink further.


The balloon will expand back to its original size.


The balloon will expand past its largest circumference.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The balloon will expand back to its original size.

Reason: Gas particle motion (and thus pressure) depends on temperature. Cooling in the freezer slowed the particles and the balloon shrank; returning the balloon to room temperature speeds the particles back up so the internal pressure/volume returns to the original room‑temperature size. It won’t grow past its previous largest circumference because no extra gas was added and it isn’t being heated above the earlier warm condition.