Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13: TEMPERATURE, KINETIC

THEORY, AND THE GAS LAWS
13.1 TEMPERATURE
1. What is the Fahrenheit temperature of a person with a 39.0C fever?

Solution 9
T F  (TC )  32.0
5
9
T F  (39.0C)  32.0C  102F
5

2. Frost damage to most plants occurs at temperatures of 28.0F or lower. What is this
temperature on the Kelvin scale?

Solution
To convert from Fahrenheit to Kelvin, first convert to Celsius:
5 5
TC  (T F  32.0)  (28.0F  32.0F)  2.22C   2.2C
9 9

Then convert to Kelvin: TK  2.2  273.15  271.0 K

3. To conserve energy, room temperatures are kept at 68.0F in the winter and 78.0F
in the summer. What are these temperatures on the Celsius scale?

Solution 5 5
TWinter  (T F  32.0F)  (68.0F  32.0F)  20.0C
9 9
5 5
TSummer  (T F  32.0F)  (78.0F  32.0F)  25.6C
9 9

4. A tungsten light bulb filament may operate at 2900 K. What is its Fahrenheit
temperature? What is this on the Celsius scale?

Solution
This is a two step process. First we convert Kelvin to Celsius then to Fahrenheit:
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

TC  TK  273.15  2900K  273.15  2626.85C = 2600C

9 9
T F  TC  32.0  (2626.85C)  32.0C  4760F = 4800 F
5 5

5. The surface temperature of the Sun is about 5750 K. What is this temperature on the
Fahrenheit scale?

Solution This is a two step process but we can do it in one step by combining the conversion
equations for Kelvin to Celsius and Celsius to Fahrenheit.
9 9
TF  (TK  273.15)  32.0  (5750 K  273.15)  32.0F  9890F
5 5

6. One of the hottest temperatures ever recorded on the surface of Earth was 134F in
Death Valley, CA. What is this temperature in Celsius degrees? What is this
temperature in Kelvin?

Solution 5 5
TC  (T F  32.0)  (134F  32.0)  56.7C  57C
9 9
TK  TC  273.15  57C  273.15  330 K

7. (a) Suppose a cold front blows into your locale and drops the temperature by 40.0
Fahrenheit degrees. How many degrees Celsius does the temperature decrease when
there is a 40.0F decrease in temperature? (b) Show that any change in temperature
in Fahrenheit degrees is nine-fifths the change in Celsius degrees.

Solution 5 5
(a) ΔTC  TC2  TC1  (T F 2  32)  (T F1  32)
9 9
5 5 5
 (T F 2  T F1 )  T F  (40)  22.2 C
9 9 9
9
(b) We know that TF  TF2  TF1 . We also know that T F2  TC2  32 and
5
9 9  9 
T F1  TC1  32 . So, substituting, we have ΔT F   TC2  32    TC1  32  .
5 5  5 
Partially solving and rearranging the equation, we have T F  TC2  TC1  .
9
5
9
Therefore, T F  TC .
5

8. (a) At what temperature do the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales have the same
numerical value? (b) At what temperature do the Fahrenheit and Kelvin scales have
the same numerical value?
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution 9
(a) To answer this we need to set TF  TC  T , using T F  TC  32 so
5
9 4
T  T  32.0. Solving gives:  T  32.0 , or T  40.0 . At this temperature,
5 5
the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales have the same value.
(b) For this part, we need to let TK  TC  273.15  TF  T . Using an equation from
9
part (a), T F  TC  32 , and substituting in TC  TK  273.15 along with
5
TK  T  TF , we have:
9 4
T (T  273.15)  32.0  T  459.67
5 5
T  575F or 575K

13.2 THERMAL EXPANSION OF SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS

9. The height of the Washington Monument is measured to be 170 m on a day when the
temperature is 35.0C . What will its height be on a day when the temperature falls to
– 10.0C ? Although the monument is made of limestone, assume that its thermal
coefficient of expansion is the same as marble’s.

Solution Using Table 13.2 to find the thermal coefficient of expansion of marble:
L  L0  L  L0 (1  T )  170 m[1  (2.5  10 6 / C)(45.0C)]  169.98 m
(Answer rounded to five significant figures to show the slight difference in height.).

10. How much taller does the Eiffel Tower become at the end of a day when the
temperature has increased by 15C ? Its original height is 321 m and you can assume
it is made of steel.

Solution Using Table 13.2 to find the thermal coefficient of expansion of steel:
L  LT  (1.2 10 5 /C)(321 m)(15 C)  0.058 m

11. What is the change in length of a 3.00-cm-long column of mercury if its temperature
changes from 37.0C to 40.0C , assuming the mercury is unconstrained?

Solution Using Table 13.2 to find the thermal coefficient of expansion of mercury:
L  LT  (6.0  105 / C)(0.0300 m)(3.00C)  5.4  106 m

12. How large an expansion gap should be left between steel railroad rails if they may
reach a maximum temperature 35.0C greater than when they were laid? Their
original length is 10.0 m.
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution Using Table 13.2 to find the thermal coefficient of expansion of steel:
L  LT  (1.2  105 /C)(10.0 m)(35.0 C)  0.0042 m

13. You are looking to purchase a small piece of land in Hong Kong. The price is “only”
$60,000 per square meter! The land title says the dimensions are 20 m  30 m . By
how much would the total price change if you measured the parcel with a steel tape
measure on a day when the temperature was 20C above normal?

Solution On the warmer day, our tape measure will expand linearly. Therefore, we will
measure each dimension to be smaller than its actual size. (Note that the parcel of
land does not actually change, so we do not use the equation for thermal expansion
in two dimensions.) Calling these new dimensions l  and w , we will find a new area,
A . Let’s calculate these new dimensions:
1.2  10 5
l   l 0  l  (20 m)  (20C)(20 m)( ) = 19.9952 m
C
1.2  10 5

w = w0  w = (30 m)  (20C)(30 m)( ) = 29.9928 m
C
A = l  w = (29.9928 m)(19.9952 m) = 599.71 m 2
$60,000 $60,000
Cost Change = ( A  A)( 2
)  ((600  599.71) m 2 )( )  $17,000
m m2
Because the area gets smaller, the price of the land DECREASES by ~$17,000.

14. Global warming will produce rising sea levels partly due to melting ice caps but also
due to the expansion of water as average ocean temperatures rise. To get some idea
of the size of this effect, calculate the change in length of a column of water 1.00 km
high for a temperature increase of 1.00C. Note that this calculation is only
approximate because ocean warming is not uniform with depth.

Solution 
To deal with volume increase, we need to use the equation L  L0 T . (We need
3
to divide  by three because we are looking for the change in length, not volume.)
Use Table 13.2 to find water’s coefficient of volume expansion:

L  L0 T  (7.0 105 / C)(1103 m)(1.00C)  7 103 m
3

15. Show that 60.0 L of gasoline originally at 15.0C will expand to 61.1 L when it warms
to 35.0C, as claimed in Example 13.4.

Solution V '  V0  VT  60.0 L  (9.50  10 4 / C)(60.0 L)(20.0C)  61.1 L

Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

16. (a) Suppose a meter stick made of steel and one made of invar (an alloy of iron and
nickel) are the same length at 0C . What is their difference in length at 22.0C ? (b)
Repeat the calculation for two 30.0-m-long surveyor’s tapes.

Solution (a) L  ( s   i ) LT  (1.2  105 /C  9.0  107 / C)(1.0 m)(22C)  2.4  104 m
(b) L  ( s   i ) LT  (1.2 105 /C  9.0 107 / C)(30.0 m)(22C)  7.3 103 m

17. (a) If a 500-mL glass beaker is filled to the brim with ethyl alcohol at a temperature of
5.00C, how much will overflow when its temperature reaches 22.0C ? (b) How
much less water would overflow under the same conditions?

Solution Assume that the glass beaker is initially at room temperature ( 22.0C ), so that its
temperature does not change.
(a) Ethyl alcohol:
V  VT  (1.100 10 3 / C)(0.500 L)(17.0 C)  9.35 10-3 L  9.35 mL
(b) Water: V  VT  (2.10 104 /C)(0.500 L)(17.0 C)  1.79 103 L  1.79 mL

18. Most automobiles have a coolant reservoir to catch radiator fluid that may overflow
when the engine is hot. A radiator is made of copper and is filled to its 16.0-L capacity
when at 10.0C. What volume of radiator fluid will overflow when the radiator and
fluid reach their 95.0C operating temperature, given that the fluid’s volume
coefficient of expansion is   400  10 –6 /C ? Note that this coefficient is
approximate, because most car radiators have operating temperatures of greater
than 95.0C.

Solution V  ( rf   c )VT  (4.00 104 / C  5.110 5 /C)(16.0 L)(85.0 C)  0.475 L

19. A physicist makes a cup of instant coffee and notices that, as the coffee cools, its level
drops 3.00 mm in the glass cup. Show that this decrease cannot be due to thermal
contraction by calculating the decrease in level if the 350 cm 3 of coffee is in a 7.00-
cm-diameter cup and decreases in temperature from 95.0C to 45.0C. (Most of the
drop in level is actually due to escaping bubbles of air.)
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution V  πr 2 h
V  πr 2 h
(  w   g )VT  πr 2 h
(  w   g )VT
h 
πr 2


  
2.10  10 4 / C  2.7  10 5 / C 3.50  10 4 m 3 50.0C 
 3.50  10 m 
2 2

4
 8.32  10 m  0.832 mm
The work shows that the change in volume (from thermal expansion) of the coffee
and the cup does not account for all of the level drop. Thus, other factors must be
held accountable (such as escaping bubbles of air).

20. (a) The density of water at 0C is very nearly 1000 kg/m 3 (it is actually 999.84 kg/m 3 ),
whereas the density of ice at 0C is 917 kg/m 3 . Calculate the pressure necessary to
keep ice from expanding when it freezes, neglecting the effect such a large pressure
would have on the freezing temperature. (This problem gives you only an indication of
how large the forces associated with freezing water might be.) (b) What are the
implications of this result for biological cells that are frozen?

Solution (a) If we start with the freezing of water, then it would expand to
1000 kg/m 3
(1 m 3 )( 3
) = 1.09 m 3 of ice.
917 kg/m
V 0.0900m 3
P B( 3
)(2.20  10 9 N/m 2 )  1.98  108 N/m 2
V0 1.00m
(b) Biological cells that are frozen must be left free to expand when they are
unfrozen, otherwise they will undergo extreme pressures and probably be
destroyed. In the freezing process, the cells experience large outward pressures.
If they don’t have room to expand, they will likely be destroyed.

21. Show that   3 , by calculating the change in volume V of a cube with sides of
length L.

Solution From the equation DL = aL0 DT we know that length changes with temperature. We
 also know that the volume of a cube is related to its length by V = L . Using the
3

equation V = V0 + DV and substituting for the sides we get V = ( L0 + DL) 3 . Then we

replace DL with DL = aL0 DT to get V  ( L0  L0 T )3  L30 (1  T )3 . Since a D T is
small, we can use the binomial expansion to get V  L30 (1  3T )  L30  3L30 T .
Rewriting the length terms in terms of volume gives V = V0 + DV = V0 + 3aV0 DT . By
comparing forms we get DV = bV0 DT = 3aV0 DT . Thus,   3 .
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

13.3 THE IDEAL GAS LAW

22. The gauge pressure in your car tires is 2.50  105 N/m2 at a temperature of 35.0C
when you drive it onto a ferry boat to Alaska. What is their gauge pressure later,
when their temperature has dropped to –40.0C ?

Solution P1  2.50  10 5 N/m 2  1.013  10 5 N/m 2  3.513  10 5 N/m 2

P2V2 NkT2

P1V1 NkT1
since V1 = V2
PT 233.15 K
P2  1 2  (3.153  10 5 N/m 2 )( )  2.658  10 5 N/m 2
T1 308.15 K
P  2.658  10 5 N/m 2  1.013  10 5 N/m 2  1.64  10 5 N/m 2  1.62 atm

23. Convert an absolute pressure of 7.00 105 N/m2 to gauge pressure in lb/in 2 . (This
value was stated to be just less than 90.0 lb/in 2 in Example 13.9. Is it?)

Solution Pg  Pa  1 atm  7.00 10 5 N/m 2  1.013 10 5 N/m 2  5.987 10 5 N/m 2
1.00 lb/in. 2
Pg  (5.987 10 5 N/m 2 )  ( )  86.8 lb/in. 2
6.895 10 3 N/m 2

24. Suppose a gas-filled incandescent light bulb is manufactured so that the gas inside the
bulb is at atmospheric pressure when the bulb has a temperature of 20.0C . (a) Find
the gauge pressure inside such a bulb when it is hot, assuming its average
temperature is 60.0C (an approximation) and neglecting any change in volume due
to thermal expansion or gas leaks. (b) The actual final pressure for the light bulb will
be less than calculated in part (a) because the glass bulb will expand. What will the
actual final pressure be, taking this into account? Is this a negligible difference?

Solution (a) P1V  NkT1 , P2V  NkT2

P1T2  333.15K 
P2   (1.013 10 5 N/m 2 )   1.15110 N/m  1.15110 Pa
5 2 5

T1  293.15K 
Pg  P2  1 atm  1.15110 5 N/m 2  1.013 10 5 N/m 2
 1.38 10 4 N/m 2  0.136 atm
(b) First, let P2 = the final pressure without glass bulb expansion, P2' = the final
pressure with glass bulb expansion, and T2 = the final temperature of the light
bulb. Also, let V ' = the final volume pressure with glass bulb expansion.
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

P2V  NkT2
P (V  V )  NkT2
2
'

V P2 P2
P2'  P2 ( ) 
V  V (V  V ) / V 1  (V / V )
V  VT
V
 T
V
PT 333.15K
P2  1 2  (1.013  10 5 N/m 2 )( )  1.151  10 5 Pa
T1 293.15K
P2 1.151  10 5 N/m 2
P2'    1.150  10 5 N/m 2
1  T 1  (2.7  10 5 / C)(40.0C)
Pg'  P2'  1.00 atm  1.150  10 5 N/m 2  1.013  10 5 N/m 2
 1.37  10 4 N/m 2  0.135 atm
The difference between this value and the value from part (a) is negligible.

25. Large helium-filled balloons are used to lift scientific equipment to high altitudes. (a)
What is the pressure inside such a balloon if it starts out at sea level with a
temperature of 10.0C and rises to an altitude where its volume is twenty times the
original volume and its temperature is –50.0C ? (b) What is the gauge pressure?
(Assume atmospheric pressure is constant.)

Solution (a) P2V2 NkT2


P1V1 NkT1
P1V1T2 P1V1T2 (1.013 10 5 N/m 2 )(223.15 K )
P2   
V2T1 20V1T1 20(283.15 K)
 3.92 10 3 N/m 2  3.94 10 2 atm
(b) Gauge pressure = 3.94 102 atm  1.00 atm   0.961 atm

26. Confirm that the units of nRT are those of energy for each value of R : (a)
8.31 J/mol  K , (b) 1.99 cal/mol  K , and (c) 0.0821 L  atm/mol  K .

Solution J
(a) nRT  (mol)( )(K)  J
mol  K
cal
(b) nRT  (mol)( )(K)  cal
mol  K
L  atm
(c) nRT  (mol)( )(K)  L  atm  (m 3 )(N/m 2 )  N  m  J
mol  K
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

27. In the text, it was shown that N / V  2.68  1025 m3 for gas at STP. (a) Show that this
quantity is equivalent to N / V  2.68  1019 cm 3 , as stated. (b) About how many
atoms are there in one μm 3 (a cubic micrometer) at STP? (c) What does your answer
to part (b) imply about the separation of atoms and molecules?

Solution N  2.68  10 25  1 m 
3

(a)      2.68  10 cm

19 3

 100 cm 
3
V  m
3
N  2.68 10 25  1m 
(b)      2.68 10 7 m -3
 1.00 10 m 
3 6
V  m
(c) This says that the average volume of atoms and molecules must be on the order of
N 1
V   3.73 10 8 m 3
2.68 10 m
7 -3
2.68 10 7 m -3
Or the average length of an atom is less than approximately
(3.73 108 m3 )1/ 3  3.34 103 m  3 nm.
Since atoms are widely spaced, the average length is probably more on the order
of 0.3 nm.

28. Calculate the number of moles in the 2.00-L volume of air in the lungs of the average
person. Note that the air is at 37.0C (body temperature).

Solution PV (1.013 105 N/m 2 )(2.00 10 3 m 3 )

PV  nRT  n    7.86 10 2 mol
RT (8.31 J/mol  K)(310.15 K)

29. An airplane passenger has 100 cm 3 of air in his stomach just before the plane takes
off from a sea-level airport. What volume will the air have at cruising altitude if cabin
pressure drops to 7.50  104 N/m2 ?

Solution P1 1.013 105 N/m 2

P1V1  P2V2  V2  V1  (100 cm 3 )  135 cm 3
P2 7.50 10 N/m
4 2

30. (a) What is the volume (in km 3 ) of Avogadro’s number of sand grains if each grain is a
cube and has sides that are 1.0 mm long? (b) How many kilometers of beaches in
length would this cover if the beach averages 100 m in width and 10.0 m in depth?
Neglect air spaces between grains.

Solution  1 mm 3  1 km 
3


(a) 6.02  10 grains 
23
  6   6.02  10 km  6.02  10 m
5 3 14 3

 grain  10 mm 
V (6.02 1014 m 3 )
(b) LWD  V  L    6.02 1011 m  6.02 108 km
WD (100 m)(10.0 m)
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

31. An expensive vacuum system can achieve a pressure as low as 1.00  10 –7 N/m2 at
20C . How many atoms are there in a cubic centimeter at this pressure and
temperature?

Solution PV (1.00 10 7 N/m 2 )(1.00 10 6 m 3 )

PV  NkT  N    23
 2.47 107 atoms
kT (1.38 10 J/K)(293.15 K)

32. The number density of gas atoms at a certain location in the space above our planet is
about 1.00  1011 m3 , and the pressure is 2.75  10 –10 N/m2 in this space. What is the
temperature there?

Solution P 1 (2.75 10 10 N/m 2 )

PV  NkT  T    23
 199 K   73.9C
N
( )k (1.00  10 11
/ m 3
) (1.38  10 J/k)
V
(which seems reasonable)

33. A bicycle tire has a pressure of 7.00  105 N/m2 at a temperature of 18.0C and
contains 2.00 L of gas. What will its pressure be if you let out an amount of air that
has a volume of 100 cm 3 at atmospheric pressure? Assume tire temperature and
volume remain constant.

Solution P1V (7.00 105 N/m 2 )(2.00 10 3 m 3 )

P1V  N1kT  N1    23
 3.484 10 23
kT (1.38 10 J/K)(291.15 K)
Then, we need to determine how many molecules were removed from the tire:
 10 6 m 3 
(1.013 105 N/m 2 )100 cm 3  
PV  cm 3 
PV  NkT  N    23
 2.52110 21
kT (1.38 10 J/K)(291.15K)

We can now determine how many molecules remain after the gas is released:

N 2  N1  N  3.484 1023  2.5211021  3.459 1023

Finally, the final pressure is:

N 2 kT (3.459  10 23 )(1.38  10 23 J/K )(291.15 K )

P2  
V 2.00  10 3 m 3
 6.95  10 5 N/m 2  6.95  10 5 Pa
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

34. A high-pressure gas cylinder contains 50.0 L of toxic gas at a pressure of

1.40  107 N/m2 and a temperature of 25.0C . Its valve leaks after the cylinder is
dropped. The cylinder is cooled to dry ice temperature (–78.5C) to reduce the leak
rate and pressure so that it can be safely repaired. (a) What is the final pressure in the

tank, assuming a negligible amount of gas leaks while being cooled and that there is
no phase change? (b) What is the final pressure if one-tenth of the gas escapes? (c) To
what temperature must the tank be cooled to reduce the pressure to 1.00 atm
(assuming the gas does not change phase and that there is no leakage during
cooling)? (d) Does cooling the tank appear to be a practical solution?

Solution (a) Assume N 2 » N1 , then since P1V = N1 KT1 and P2V = N 2 KT2
T2  194.65K 
P2  P1 ( )  (1.40  10 7 N/m 2 )   0.914  10 7 N/m 2  9.14  10 6 Pa
T1  298.15K 
(b) So, we now we know that N 2  0.9 N1 , and
 T  N   194.65K 
P2  P1  2  2   (1.40  10 7 N/m 2 )(0.900) 
 T1  N1   298.15K 
 0.823  10 7 N/m 2  8.23  10 6 Pa
P2 T2 P   1.013 105 N/m 2 
(c)   T2  T1  2   (298.15 K) 2 
  2.16 K
 1.40 10 N/m 
7
P1 T1  P1 
(d) No. The final temperature needed is much too low to be easily achieved for a large
object.

35. Find the number of moles in 2.00 L of gas at 35.0C and under 7.41 107 N/m2 of
pressure.

Solution PV (7.4110 7 N/m 2 )(2.00 10 3 m 3 )

PV  nRT  n    57.9mol
RT (8.31J/mol  K)(308.15 K)

36. Calculate the depth to which Avogadro’s number of table tennis balls would cover
Earth. Each ball has a diameter of 3.75 cm. Assume the space between balls adds an
extra 25.0% to their volume and assume they are not crushed by their own weight.
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution Let re = the radius of Earth, rp = the radius of the ping pong balls, and R = the radius
to the top of the ping pong balls measured from Earth’s center. Then
4
  4 3
V   R 3  re  N A  rp (1.250)
3

3 3 
R 3  re  (1.250) N A rp
3 3

 
1
R  (1.250) N A rp  re
3 3 3

 
1
 (1.250)(6.02 10 23 )(1.875 10 2 m) 3  (6.376 10 6 m) 3 3  6.416 10 6 m
h  R  re  4.04 10 4 m  40.4 km

37. (a) What is the gauge pressure in a 25.0C car tire containing 3.60 mol of gas in a
30.0 L volume? (b) What will its gauge pressure be if you add 1.00 L of gas originally
at atmospheric pressure and 25.0C ? Assume the temperature returns to 25.0C
and the volume remains constant.

Solution (a) PV  nRT

nRT (3.60 mol)(0.0821 L  atm/mol  K)(298.15 K )
P   2.937 atm
V 30.0L
Pg  P  1.00 atm  1.937 atm  1.94 atm
(b) PV  nRT 
PV (1.00 atm)(1.00 L)
Δn    0.0408 mol
RT (0.0821 L  atm/mol  K )(298.15K )
(n  n) RT
P
V
(3.60 mol  0.0408 mol)(0.0821 L  atm/mol  K )(298.15 K )
  2.97 atm
30.0 L
Pg  P  1.00 atm  1.97 atm

38. (a) In the deep space between galaxies, the density of atoms is as low as
106 atoms/m3 , and the temperature is a frigid 2.7 K. What is the pressure? (b) What
volume (in m 3 ) is occupied by 1 mol of gas? (c) If this volume is a cube, what is the
length of its sides in kilometers?
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution (a) PV  NkT

N 10 6
P  kT  3
(1.38  10 23 J/K)(2.7 K)
V 1m
 3.73  10 17 N/m 2  3.7  10 17 N/m 2  3.7  10 17 Pa
(b) PV  nRT
nRT (1.00 mol)(8.31 J/mol  K)(2.7 K)
V  17
 6.02  1017 m 3  6.0  1017 m 3
P 3.73  10 N/m 2

(c) L  V 1/ 3  (6.02 1017 m3 )1/ 3  8.45 105 m  8.4 102 km

13.4 KINETIC THEORY: ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR EXPLANATION OF

PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE

39. Some incandescent light bulbs are filled with argon gas. What is vrms for argon atoms
near the filament, assuming their temperature is 2500 K?

Solution 39.95  10 3 kg/mol

m  6.64  10 26 kg
6.02  10 / mol
23

3kT 3(1.38  10 23 J/K )(2500 K )

 rms    26
 1.25  10 3 m/s
m 6.64  10 kg

40. Average atomic and molecular speeds (vrms ) are large, even at low temperatures.
What is vrms for helium atoms at 5.00 K, just one degree above helium’s liquefaction
temperature?

Solution 4.003  10 3 kg/mol

m  6.65  10 27 kg
6.02  10 / mol
23

3kT 3(1.38  10  23 J/K )(5.00 K )

 rms    176 m/s
m 6.65  10  27 kg

41. (a) What is the average kinetic energy in joules of hydrogen atoms on the 5500C
surface of the Sun? (b) What is the average kinetic energy of helium atoms in a region
of the solar corona where the temperature is 6.00  105 K ?

Solution 3
(a) KE  kT  1.5(1.38  10 23 J/K)(5773.15 K)  1.195  10 19 J  1.20  10 19 J
2
3
(b) KE  kT  1.5(1.38  10 23 J/K)(6.00  10 5 K)  1.24  10 17 J
2
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

42. The escape velocity of any object from Earth is 11.2 km/s. (a) Express this speed in m/s
and km/h. (b) At what temperature would oxygen molecules (molecular mass is equal
to 32.0 g/mol) have an average velocity vrms equal to Earth’s escape velocity of 11.1
km/s?

Solution (a) 11.2 km/s

1000 m
11.2km/s   11200 m/s
1 km
60 s 60 minutes
11.2 km/s    40320 km/h
1 min 1 hour
3.20 10 2 kg/mol
(b) m  5.316 10 26 kg
6.02 10 / mol
23

3kT 3 1 2
 rms   kT  mvrms
m 2 2
m rms (5.316 10 26 kg)(1.11 10 4 m/s) 2
2
T   23
 1.58 10 5 K
3k 3(1.38 10 J/K)

43. The escape velocity from the Moon is much smaller than from Earth and is only 2.38
km/s. At what temperature would hydrogen molecules (molecular mass is equal to
2.016 g/mol) have an average velocity vrms equal to the Moon’s escape velocity?

Solution 2.016  10 3 kg/mol

m  3.349  10  27 kg
6.02  10 / mol
23

3kT
 rms 
m
m rms
2
(3.349  10 27 kg)(2.38  10 3 m/s) 2
T   458 K
3k 3(1.38  10  23 J/K)

44. Nuclear fusion, the energy source of the Sun, hydrogen bombs, and fusion reactors,
occurs much more readily when the average kinetic energy of the atoms is high—that
is, at high temperatures. Suppose you want the atoms in your fusion experiment to
have average kinetic energies of 6.40  10 –14 J . What temperature is needed?

Solution 3
KE  kT
2
2KE 2(6.40  10 14 J)
T   23
 3.09  10 9 K
3k 3(1.38  10 J/K )
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

45. Suppose that the average velocity (vrms ) of carbon dioxide molecules (molecular mass
is equal to 44.0 g/mol) in a flame is found to be 1.05  105 m/s . What temperature
does this represent?

Solution 44.0  10 3 kg/mol

m  7.309  10 26 kg
6.02  10 23 / mol
3kT
 rms 
m
m rms
2
(7.309 10  26 kg)(1.05 105 m/s) 2
T   23
 1.95 107 K
3k 3(1.38 10 J/K)

46. Hydrogen molecules (molecular mass is equal to 2.016 g/mol) have an average
velocity vrms equal to 193 m/s. What is the temperature?

Solution 2.016  10 3 kg/mol

m  3.349  10  27 kg
6.02  10 / mol
23

3kT
 rms 
m
m rms
2
(3.349  10 27 kg)(193 m/s) 2
T   3.01 K
3k 3(1.38  10  23 J/K)

47. Much of the gas near the Sun is atomic hydrogen. Its temperature would have to be
1.5  107 K for the average velocity vrms to equal the escape velocity from the Sun.
What is that velocity?

Solution Since the sun consists of atomic hydrogen, not hydrogen molecules:
1.008  10 3 kg/mol
m  1.674  10  27 kg
6.02  10 / mol
23

3kT 3(1.38  10  23 J/K )(1.50  10 7 K )

 rms    27
 6.09  10 5 m/s
m 1.674  10 kg

48. There are two important isotopes of uranium— 235 U and 238 U ; these isotopes are
nearly identical chemically but have different atomic masses. Only 235 U is very useful
in nuclear reactors. One of the techniques for separating them (gas diffusion) is based
on the different average velocities vrms of uranium hexafluoride gas, UF6 . (a) The
molecular masses for 235 U UF6 and 238 U UF6 are 349.0 g/mol and 352.0 g/mol,
respectively. What is the ratio of their average velocities? (b) At what temperature
would their average velocities differ by 1.00 m/s? (c) Do your answers in this problem
imply that this technique may be difficult?
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution v235 (3kT ) / m235 m238 m238 / N A m238 352.0

(a)       1.0043  1.004
v238 (3kT ) / m238 m235 m235 / N A m235 349.0
(b) v235  1.0043v238  v238  (0.0043 )v238
From this we see that the difference in their velocities is:
v235  v238  (0.0043 )v238 and we want this to equal 1.00 m/s.
(0.0043)v238  1.00 m/s
3kT
1.00 m/s  (0.0043)
m238
Solving for T :
2
 v  m
2
vrms M 238 / N A
T   rms  238 
 0.0043  3k
2
(0.0043) 3k
1
(1.00 m/s ) 2
3.52 10 kg/mol
  764 K
(0.0043) 3(1.38 10 23 J/K)(6.02 10 23 /mol )
2

(c) This temperature is equivalent to 915F , which is hot but not impossible to achieve.
Thus, this process is doable. At this temperature, however, there may be other
considerations that make this process difficult.

13.6 HUMIDITY, EVAPORATION, AND BOILING

49. Dry air is 78.1% nitrogen. What is the partial pressure of nitrogen when the
atmospheric pressure is 1.01 105 N/m2 ?

Solution (1.01105 N/m 2 )(0.781)  7.89 10 4 Pa

50. (a) What is the vapor pressure of water at 20.0C ? (b) What percentage of
atmospheric pressure does this correspond to? (c) What percent of 20.0C air is
water vapor if it has 100% relative humidity? (The density of dry air at 20.0C is
1.20 kg/m 3 .)

Solution (a) Vapor Pressure for H 2O(20C)  2.33 103 N/m2  2.33 103 Pa

(b) Divide the vapor pressure by atmospheric pressure:

2.33  103 N/m 2
 100%  2.30%
1.01 105 N/m 2

(c) The density of water in this air is equal to the saturation vapor density of water at
this temperature, taken from Table 13.5. Dividing by the density of dry air, we can
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

1.72 10 2 kg/m 3

get the percentage of water in the air: 100%  1.43%
1.20 kg/m 3

51. Pressure cookers increase cooking speed by raising the boiling temperature of water
above its value at atmospheric pressure. (a) What pressure is necessary to raise the
boiling point to 120.0C ? (b) What gauge pressure does this correspond to?

Solution (a) Using Table 13.5: 1.99 105 N/m2  1.99 105 Pa
(b) 1.99 105 Pa  1.01105 Pa  9.8 104 Pa  0.97 atm

52. (a) At what temperature does water boil at an altitude of 1500 m (about 5000 ft) on a
day when atmospheric pressure is 8.59 104 N/m2 ? (b) What about at an altitude of
3000 m (about 10,000 ft) when atmospheric pressure is 7.00  10 4 N/m 2 ?

Solution (a) From Table 13.5: 95C

(b) From Table 13.5: 90°C

53. What is the atmospheric pressure on top of Mt. Everest on a day when water boils
there at a temperature of 70.0C?

Solution From Table 13.5: 3.12 10 4 Pa

54. At a spot in the high Andes, water boils at 80.0C , greatly reducing the cooking speed
of potatoes, for example. What is atmospheric pressure at this location?

Solution From Table 13.5: 4.73 10 4 Pa

55. What is the relative humidity on a 25.0C day when the air contains 18.0 g/m 3 of
water vapor?

Solution vapor density

Percent relative humidity   100%
saturation vapor density
18.0 g/m 3
  100%  78.26%  78.3%
23.0 g/m 3

56. What is the density of water vapor in g/m 3 on a hot dry day in the desert when the
temperature is 40.0C and the relative humidity is 6.00%?
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution vapor density

percent relative humidity   100%
saturation vapor density

vapor density 
percent relative humidity saturation vapor density
100%
3
(6.00%)(51.1 g/m )
  3.07 g/m 3
100%

57. A deep-sea diver should breathe a gas mixture that has the same oxygen partial
pressure as at sea level, where dry air contains 20.9% oxygen and has a total pressure
of 1.01 105 N/m2 . (a) What is the partial pressure of oxygen at sea level? (b) If the
diver breathes a gas mixture at a pressure of 2.00  106 N/m2 , what percent oxygen
should it be to have the same oxygen partial pressure as at sea level?

Solution (a) (1.013 105 N/m2 )(0.209)  2.117 104 N/m2  2.12 104 N/m2  2.12 104 Pa
(b) x(2.00  10 N/m )  2.117  10 N/m
6 2 4 2

2.117  10 4 N/m 2
x  1.059  10 2  1.06%
2.00  10 N/m
6 2

58. The vapor pressure of water at 40.0C is 7.34  103 N/m2 . Using the ideal gas law,
calculate the density of water vapor in g/m 3 that creates a partial pressure equal to
this vapor pressure. The result should be the same as the saturation vapor density at
that temperature (51.1 g/m 3 ) .

Solution n P 7.34  103 N/m 2
PV  nRT     2.82 mol/m 3
V RT (8.31 J/mol  K)(313.15 K)
n
  M  (2.82 mol/m 3 )(18.0 g/mol)  50.8 g/m 3
V

59. Air in human lungs has a temperature of 37.0C and a saturation vapor density of
44.0 g/m 3 . (a) If 2.00 L of air is exhaled and very dry air inhaled, what is the maximum
loss of water vapor by the person? (b) Calculate the partial pressure of water vapor
having this density, and compare it with the vapor pressure of 6.31103 N/m2.

Solution (a) The maximum loss of water would occur if the exhaled air is completely saturated,
and the inhaled air is devoid of water. The maximum
 water vapor loss is:
(44.0 g/m 3 )(2.00 103 m3 )  8.80 102 g
(b)   n M  n   , PV  nRT  P  n RT   RT
V V M V M
3
44.0 g/m
P (8.31 J/mol  K)(310.15 K)  6.30  10 3 J/m 3  6.30  10 3 Pa
18.0 g/mol
The two values are nearly identical.
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

60. If the relative humidity is 90.0% on a muggy summer morning when the temperature
is 20.0C , what will it be later in the day when the temperature is 30.0C , assuming
the water vapor density remains constant?

Solution Let prh = percent relative humidity, vd = vapor density, and svd = saturation vapor
density.
vd vd
prh   100%, prh    100% 
svd svd 
svd  17.2 g/m 3 
prh'  prh  (0.900)   0.509  50.9%
3 
svd   30.4 g/m 

61. Late on an autumn day, the relative humidity is 45.0% and the temperature is 20.0C
. What will the relative humidity be that evening when the temperature has dropped
to 10.0C , assuming constant water vapor density?

Solution Let prh = percent relative humidity, vd = vapor density, and svd = saturation vapor
density.
vd vd
prh   100%, prh    100% 
svd svd 
svd 17.2 g/m 3

prh = prh  (0.450)( )  82.3%
svd  9.40 g/m 3

62. Atmospheric pressure atop Mt. Everest is 3.30 104 N/m2 . (a) What is the partial
pressure of oxygen there if it is 20.9% of the air? (b) What percent oxygen should a
mountain climber breathe so that its partial pressure is the same as at sea level,
where atmospheric pressure is 1.01 105 N/m 2 ? (c) One of the most severe problems
for those climbing very high mountains is the extreme drying of breathing passages.
Why does this drying occur?
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution (a) partial pressure O 2   (%O 2 )(atmospheric pressure)

 (0.209)(3.30 10 4 N/m 2 )  6.90 103 Pa
(b) partial pressure at sea level   (%O2 )(atmospheric pressure)
 (0.209)(1.013  105 N/m 2 )  2.117  10 4 Pa
Set that equal to the percent oxygen times the pressure at the top of Mt. Everest:
 %O 2 
partial pressure at sea level    (3.30  10 N/m )  2.117  10 Pa
4 2 4

 100% 
2.117 10 4 N/m 2
Thus, %O 2  100%  64.2%
3.30 10 4 N/m 2
(c) This drying process occurs because the partial pressure of water vapor at high
altitudes is decreased substantially. The climbers breathe very dry air, which leads
to a lot of moisture being lost due to evaporation. The breathing passages are
therefore not getting the moisture they require from the air being breathed.

63. What is the dew point (the temperature at which 100% relative humidity would occur)
on a day when relative humidity is 39.0% at a temperature of 20.0C ?

Solution Let prh = percent relative humidity, vd = vapor density, and svd = saturation vapor
density.
vd (prh)(svd) (39.0%)(17.2 g/m 3 )
prh   100%  vd    6.708 g/m 3
svd 100% 100%
Now, assuming the relationship between temperature at saturation vapor pressure is
T
linear between 0C and 5C , we can use the fact that the value of m  is
svd
constant between 0C and our temperature and between our temperature and 5C
to interpolate, which yields:

T( C ) svd( g/m 3 )

0 4.84
4.7* 6.708
5 6.80
6.708  4.84
* 5C   4.77 C
6.80  4.84
Therefore, the Dew point  4.77C.

64. On a certain day, the temperature is 25.0C and the relative humidity is 90.0%. How
many grams of water must condense out of each cubic meter of air if the temperature falls
to 15.0C ? Such a drop in temperature can, thus, produce heavy dew or fog.
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

Solution Let prh = percent relative humidity, vd = vapor density, and svd = saturation vapor
density.
vd (prh)(svd) (90.0%)(23.0 g/m 3 )
prh   100%  vd    20.7 g/m 3
svd 100% 100%
Water density leaving air = (20.7 g/m )  (12.8 g/m 3 )  7.9 g/m 3
3

65. Integrated Concepts The boiling point of water increases with depth because pressure
increases with depth. At what depth will fresh water have a boiling point of 150C , if
the surface of the water is at sea level?

Solution From Table 13.5:

P  4.76 105 N/m 2  gh  P A
P  PA 4.76 105 N/m  1.01105 N/m
h   38.3 m
g  
1000 kg/m 3 9.80 m/s 2 
66. Integrated Concepts (a) At what depth in fresh water is the critical pressure of water
reached, given that the surface is at sea level? (b) At what temperature will this water
boil? (c) Is a significantly higher temperature needed to boil water at a greater depth?

Solution (a) P  gh  P A

P  PA 22.12 10 6 N/m 2  1.01105 N/m 2
h   2246 m  2.25 103 m
g (1.00 10 kg/m )(9.80 m/s )
3 3 2

(b) At Tc  647.4 K from Table 13.5.

(c) No. Water at a greater depth should boil for any temperature above the critical
temperature.

67. Integrated Concepts To get an idea of the small effect that temperature has on
Archimedes' principle, calculate the fraction of a copper block's weight that is supported
by the buoyant force in 0C water and compare this fraction with the fraction
supported in 95.0C water.

Solution In 0C water:

Let FB = the buoyant force, ww = the weight of water displaced, wC = the weight of
the copper block, and VC = the volume of the copper block.
FB  ww   wVC g
FB  wVC g  w 1.00  10 3 kg/m 3
    0.114
wC  CVC g  C 8.8  10 3 kg/m 3
In 95C water:
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

FB ' V g '  (1   C T )
( )  w' C  w'  w
wC  CVC g  C  C (1   w T )



1.00 10 3 kg/m 3 1  (5.110 5 / C)(95.0 C) 
 0.112

8.8 10 3 kg/m 3 1  (2.10 10 4 / C)(95.0 C) 
FB / wC
 1.02 . As we can see, the buoyant force supports nearly the exact same
( FB / wC )
amount of force on the copper block in both circumstances.

68. Integrated Concepts If you want to cook in water at 150C , you need a pressure cooker
that can withstand the necessary pressure. (a) What pressure is required for the boiling
point of water to be this high? (b) If the lid of the pressure cooker is a disk 25.0 cm in
diameter, what force must it be able to withstand at this pressure?

Solution (a) From Table 13.5, vapor pressure  4.76 105 N/m2
F
(b) P  . Here, we need to use Newton’s laws to balance forces. Assuming that we are
A
cooking at sea level, the forces on the lid will stem from the internal pressure, found in
part (a), the ambient atmospheric pressure, and the forces holding the lid shut. Thus
we have a “balance of pressures”:
P  1 atm  (4.76  10 5 Pa) = 0  P = 3.75  10 5 Pa
net F = PA  (3.75  10 5 Pa)( (0.125 m) 2 ) = 1.84  10 4 N

69.
Unreasonable Results (a) How many moles per cubic meter of an ideal gas are there

at a pressure of 1.00  1014 N/m2 and at 0C ? (b) What is unreasonable about this
result? (c) Which premise or assumption is responsible?

Solution n P 1.00  1014 N/m 2

(a) PV  nRT     4.41  1010 mol/m 3
V RT (8.31 J/mol  K)(273.15 K)
(b) It is unreasonably large.
(c) At high pressures such as these, the ideal gas law can no longer be applied. As a
result, unreasonable answers come up when it is used.

70. Unreasonable Results (a) An automobile mechanic claims that an aluminum rod fits
loosely into its hole on an aluminum engine block because the engine is hot and the
rod is cold. If the hole is 10.0% bigger in diameter than the 22.0C rod, at what
temperature will the rod be the same size as the hole? (b) What is unreasonable about
this temperature? (c) Which premise is responsible?

Solution (a) Call the hole diameter d and the cold rod diameter d 0 . We have d  1.100d 0 . The
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

area of the hole is A , and the cold rod area is A0 . The area of the rod at
temperature T will be A  A0  (2α) A0 T . Since the area is proportional to the
diameter squared, we have:
2 2
 2

d 0 (1.100) 2  d 0  2 2.5  10 5 / C d 0 (T  22C)

T
1.100
1
2
 22C  4.2  10 3 C

5.0  10 / C 5

(b) This temperature is unreasonably high—higher than the boiling point of
aluminum.
(c) The premise that the part can expand to 10% larger is unreasonable. This is much
too great for almost any material.

71.
Unreasonable Results The temperature inside a supernova explosion is said to be
2.00  1013 K . (a) What would the average velocity vrms of hydrogen atoms be? (b)

What is unreasonable about this velocity? (c) Which premise or assumption is

responsible?

Solution 1.008  10 3 kg/mol

(a) m  1.674  10 27 kg
6.02  10 /mol
23

3kT 3(1.38  10 23 J/K)(2.00  1013 K )

v rms    27
 7.03  10 8 m/s
m 1.674  10 kg
(b) The velocity is too high—it is greater than the speed of light.
(c) The assumption that hydrogen inside a supernova behaves as an ideal gas is
unreasonable because of the great temperature and density in the core of a star.
Furthermore, when a velocity close to the speed of light is obtained, classical
physics must be replaced by relativity.

72.
Unreasonable Results Suppose the relative humidity is 80% on a day when the
temperature is 30.0C . (a) What will the relative humidity be if the air cools to
25.0C and the vapor density remains constant? (b) What is unreasonable about this
result? (c) Which premise is responsible?

Solution (a) Let prh = percent relative humidity, vd = vapor density, and svd = saturation vapor
density.
Openstax College Physics Instructor Solutions Manual Chapter 13

vd
prh  100%
svd
vd svd  30.4g/m 3 

prh  100%  prh  (0.800)   105.7%  106%
3 
svd' svd  23.0g/m 
(b) The answer is unreasonable because the maximum possible relative humidity is
100%.
(c) The premise that the vapor density remains constant is unreasonable when the
temperature drops below dew point, as evidenced by the 106% relative humidity.

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