Graham's Law

[folktale]

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In a mixture of H2 and O2, the ratio of speeds of the hydrogen to the oxygen molecules is:

A. 1/16
B. 1/8
C. 1/4
D. 1/1

This is a simple example of Graham's Law, and I got it right, which is C.

Question is: It said the "ratio of speeds of the hydrogen TO the oxygen molecule"
I got 4/1, and what if it comes up on a question where there is two choices, one being 4/1 and the other 1/4? 4/1 would be the right answer for that most likely, but I am just kind of annoyed how the ratio in the choices is opposite to the ratio stated in the question.

 

[MedPR]

In a mixture of H2 and O2, the ratio of speeds of the hydrogen to the oxygen molecules is:

A. 1/16
B. 1/8
C. 1/4
D. 1/1

This is a simple example of Graham's Law, and I got it right, which is C.

Question is: It said the "ratio of speeds of the hydrogen TO the oxygen molecule"
I got 4/1, and what if it comes up on a question where there is two choices, one being 4/1 and the other 1/4? 4/1 would be the right answer for that most likely, but I am just kind of annoyed how the ratio in the choices is opposite to the ratio stated in the question.

1/4 is correct. 4/1 is backwards. If the oxygen goes 10m/s, hydrogen goes 4x faster than oxygen. 4*10=40. The way you have it, if oxygen goes 10m/s, then hydrogen only goes 2.5m/s.

 

[folktale]

1/4 is correct. 4/1 is backwards. If the oxygen goes 10m/s, hydrogen goes 4x faster than oxygen. 4*10=40. The way you have it, if oxygen goes 10m/s, then hydrogen only goes 2.5m/s.

Noo, the ratio in the question asks for the ratio of the speeds of Hydrogen to Oxygen, which is H2/O2.

Clearly, the H2 will be faster than O2, and H2/O2 should be 4/1 NOT the other way around.

 

[chiddler]

Noo, the ratio in the question asks for the ratio of the speeds of Hydrogen to Oxygen, which is H2/O2.

Clearly, the H2 will be faster than O2, and H2/O2 should be 4/1 NOT the other way around.

yeah you're right that's an error in the question.