Here's why:
* Graham's Law of Effusion: This law states that the rate of effusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass.
* Effusion: This is the process of a gas escaping through a tiny hole into a vacuum.
Example:
Let's compare helium (He, molar mass = 4 g/mol) and oxygen (O2, molar mass = 32 g/mol).
* Helium, with a lower molar mass, will effuse at a faster rate than oxygen.
In summary: The lighter the gas molecule (lower molar mass), the faster it will effuse.
