According to Graham's law of effusion, what factors influence the rate of effusion?

Graham's law of effusion states that the rate of effusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass. This means that lighter gases (those with lower molar masses) will effuse faster than heavier gases (those with higher molar masses). The equation governing this relationship can be expressed as:

[ \frac{{\text{Rate}_1}}{{\text{Rate}_2}} = \sqrt{\frac{{M_2}}{{M_1}}} ]

where ( M_1 ) and ( M_2 ) are the molar masses of the two gases. Therefore, the correct answer highlights that the molar masses of the gases are a crucial factor that influences their rates of effusion.

While other factors, such as temperature and pressure, can affect gas behavior, they do not specifically pertain to the effusion rate as dictated by Graham's law. Temperature could theoretically influence the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules, potentially impacting effusion indirectly, but it is primarily the difference in molar masses that distinguishes how quickly gases can effuse. Similarly, the volume of the container and the type of gas molecules mentioned in the other choices may influence the general behavior of