Admission Test for Dental Hygiene (ATDH) Practice

The relationship between temperature and gas pressure can be understood through the ideal gas law and other related principles, which state that the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature when volume is held constant. As the temperature of a gas increases, the kinetic energy of its molecules also increases. This results in molecules moving more rapidly and colliding with the walls of their container more forcefully and frequently, which raises the pressure. Conversely, when the temperature decreases, the kinetic energy of the molecules decreases, leading to fewer and less energetic collisions with the container walls, thereby reducing the pressure. Thus, the statement that increased temperature leads to increased pressure and that decreased temperature causes decreased pressure is valid, confirming that both scenarios are correct. This comprehensive understanding of how temperature influences gas pressure is fundamental in various scientific and practical applications, including dental hygiene where gases can play a role in sterilization processes and other clinical settings.