Topic 3 Thermal physics

The kinetic theory of gases and the

gas laws

Kinetic theory/ideal gas

We can understand the behaviour of
gases using a very simple model, that of
an ideal gas.
The model makes a
few simple assumptions;

Ideal gas assumptions

The particles of gas (atoms or molecules)
obey Newtons laws of motion.
You should know these
by now!

Ideal gas assumptions

The particles in a gas move with a range
of speeds

Ideal gas assumptions

The volume of the individual gas particles
is very small compared to the volume of
the gas(or the volume of the container)

Ideal gas assumptions

The collisions between the particles and
the walls of the container and between the
particles themselves are elastic (no kinetic
energy lost)

Ideal gas assumptions

There are no forces between the particles
(except when colliding). This means that
the particles only have kinetic energy (no
potential)
Do you remember what internal
energy is?

Ideal gas assumptions

The duration of a collision is small
compared to the time between collisions.

Pressure A reminder
Pressure is defined as the normal
(perpendicular) force per unit area

P = F/A
It is measured in Pascals, Pa (N.m -2)

Pressure A reminder
What is origin of the pressure of a gas?

Pressure A reminder
Collisions of the gas particles with the side
of a container give rise to a force, which
averaged of billions of collisions per
second macroscopically is measured as
the pressure of the gas
Change of
momentum

The behaviour of gases

The behaviour of gases

http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/ideal-gas/gas-properties.jnlp

When we heat a gas at constant volume,

what happens to the pressure? Why?

Lets do it! Yes, just

not today; am sorry
for bursting your
bubble. Ha Ha

The behaviour of gases

http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/ideal-gas/gas-properties.jnlp

When we heat a gas at constant volume,

what happens to the pressure? Why?

P T (if T is in
Kelvin)

The behaviour of gases

When we compress
(reduce the volume)
a gas at constant
temperature, what
happens to the
pressure? Why?
Lets do it!

The behaviour of gases

When we compress
(reduce the volume)
a gas at constant
temperature, what
happens to the
pressure? Why?
pV = constant

The behaviour of gases

When we heat a gas a constant pressure,
what happens to its volume? Why?

The behaviour of gases

When we heat a gas a constant pressure,
what happens to its volume? Why?

V T (if T is in
Kelvin)

Explaining the behaviour of

gases
In this way we are explaining the
macroscopic behaviour of a gas (the
quantities that can be measured like
temperature, pressure and volume) by
looking at its microscopic behaviour (how
the individual particles move)

The gas laws

We have found experimentally that;
At constant temperature, the pressure of
a fixed mass of gas is inversely
proportional to its volume.

p 1/V

or

pV = constant

This is known as Boyles law

The gas laws

At constant pressure, the volume of a
fixed mass of gas is proportional to its
temperature;

VT

or

V/T = constant

This is known as Charles law

If T is in Kelvin

The gas laws

At constant volume, the pressure
of a fixed mass of gas is
proportional to its temperature;

pT

or

p/T = constant
If T is in Kelvin

This is known as the Pressure law

The equation of state

By combining these three laws
pV = constant
V/T = constant
p/T = constant
We get pV/T = constant

Or

p 1V 1 = p 2V 2
T1 T2

Remember, T
must be in
Kelvin

An example
At the top of Mount Everest the temperature is
around 250K, with atmospheric pressure around
3.3 x 104 Pa. At seas level these values are
300K and 1.0 x 105 Pa respectively. If the
density of air at sea level is 1.2 kg.m -3, what is
the density of the air on Mount Everest?

Physics, Patrick Fullick, Heinemann

An example
At the top of Mount Everest the temperature is around 250K, with atmospheric
pressure around 3.3 x 104 Pa. At seas level these values are 300K and 1.0 x 105 Pa
respectively. If the density of air at sea level is 1.2 kg.m -3, what is the density of the air
on Mount Everest?

Take 1kg of air at sea level

Volume = mass/density = 1/1.2 = 0.83 m 3.
Therefore at sea level
p1 = 1.0 x 105 Pa, V1 = 0.83 m3, T1 = 300K.

An example
At the top of Mount Everest the temperature is around 250K, with atmospheric
pressure around 3.3 x 104 Pa. At seas level these values are 300K and 1.0 x 105 Pa
respectively. If the density of air at sea level is 1.2 kg.m -3, what is the density of the air
on Mount Everest?

Therefore at sea level

p1 = 1.0 x 105 Pa, V1 = 0.83 m3, T1 = 300K.
At the top of Mount Everest
p2 = 3.3 x 104 Pa, V2 = ? m3, T1 = 250K.

An example
At the top of Mount Everest the temperature is around 250K, with atmospheric
pressure around 3.3 x 104 Pa. At seas level these values are 300K and 1.0 x 105 Pa
respectively. If the density of air at sea level is 1.2 kg.m -3, what is the density of the air
on Mount Everest?
Therefore at sea level
p1 = 1.0 x 105 Pa, V1 = 0.83 m3, T1 = 300K.
At the top of Mount Everest p2 = 3.3 x 104 Pa, V2 = ? m3, T1 = 250K.
p1V1/T1 = p2V2/T2
(1.0 x 105 Pa x 0.83 m3)/300K = (3.3 x 104 Pa x V2)/250K
V2 = 2.1 m3,
This is the volume of 1kg of air on Everest

Density = mass/volume = 1/2.1 = 0.48 kg.m-3.

pV = constant
T

The equation of state

Experiment has shown us that

pV = nR
T
Where n = number of moles of gas and R = Gas constant
(8.31J.K-1.mol-1)
Remember, T
must be in
Kelvin

Sample question
A container of hydrogen of volume 0.1m 3
and temperature 25C contains 3.20 x 1023
molecules. What is the pressure in the
container?

Please E-book and MB for more questions

Sample question
A container of hydrogen of volume 0.1m 3
and temperature 25C contains 3.20 x 1023
molecules. What is the pressure in the
container?
# moles = 3.20 x 1023/6.02 x 1023 = 0.53

K.A.Tsokos Physics for the IB Diploma 5 th Edition

Sample question
A container of hydrogen of volume 0.1m 3
and temperature 25C contains 3.20 x 1023
molecules. What is the pressure in the
container?
# moles = 3.20 x 1023/6.02 x 1023 = 0.53
P = RnT/V = (8.31 x 0.53 x 298)/0.1 = 1.3 x 104 N.m-2

K.A.Tsokos Physics for the IB Diploma 5 th Edition

Questions!
Page 181
Questions 2, 4, 6, 9
Page 182
Questions 12, 13, 17.