Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 6e

Chapter 21 – The Kinetic Theory of Gases

 Two containers hold an ideal gas at the same
temperature and pressure. Both containers hold the
same type of gas but container B has twice the
volume of container A. The average translational
kinetic energy per molecule in container B is

1. twice that for container A 25% 25% 25% 25%

2. the same as that for
container A
3. half that for container A
4. impossible to determine

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The average translational kinetic energy per
molecule is a function only of temperature.
 Two containers hold an ideal gas at the same
temperature and pressure. Both containers hold the
same type of gas but container B has twice the
volume of container A. The internal energy of the
gas in container B is

1. twice that for container A 25% 25% 25% 25%

2. the same as that for
container A
3. half that for container A
4. impossible to determine

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Because there are twice as many molecules
and the temperature of both containers is the
same, the total energy in B is twice that in A.
 Two containers hold an ideal gas at the same
temperature and pressure. Both containers hold the
same type of gas but container B has twice the
volume of container A. The rms speed of the gas
molecules in container B is

1. twice that for container A

25% 25% 25% 25%
2. the same as that for
container A
3. half that for container A
4. impossible to determine

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Because both containers hold the same type of gas,
the rms speed is a function only of temperature.
 How does the internal energy of an ideal gas
change as it follows path i -> f in the figure below?

1. There is not enough

information to determine 25% 25% 25% 25%
how Eint changes.
2. Eint increases.
3. Eint decreases.
4. Eint stays the same.

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According to Equation 21.10, Eint is a function
of temperature only. Because the temperature
increases, the internal energy increases.
 How does the internal energy of a gas change as it
follows path f -> f ‘ along the isotherm labeled T +
ΔT in the figure in question 4 above?

1. Eint increases.
2. Eint decreases. 25% 25% 25% 25%

3. Eint stays the same.

4. There is not enough
information to determine
how Eint changes.

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Along an isotherm, T is constant by definition.
Therefore, the internal energy of the gas does not
change.
 The molar specific heat of a diatomic gas is
measured at constant volume and found to be 29.1
J/mol · K. The types of energy that are contributing
to the molar specific heat are
1. translation only
2. translation and rotation 25% 25% 25% 25%
only
3. translation and vibration
only
4. translation, rotation, and
vibration

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The value of 29.1 J/mol · K is 7R/2. According
to Figure 21.7, this suggests that all three types
of motion are occurring.
 The molar specific heat of a gas is measured at
constant volume and found to be 11R/2. The gas is
most likely to be

1. monatomic
2. diatomic 33% 33% 33%
3. polyatomic

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The highest possible value of CV for a diatomic
gas is 7R/2, so the gas must be polyatomic.
 Consider the qualitative shapes of the two curves in the figure below,
without regard for the numerical values or labels in the graph.
Suppose you have two containers of gas at the same temperature.
Container A has 105 nitrogen molecules and container B has 105
hydrogen molecules. The correct qualitative matching between the
containers and the two curves in this figure is
1. container A corresponds
to the blue curve and container
B to the brown curve
33% 33% 33%
2. container B corresponds
to the blue curve and container
A to the brown curve
3. both containers correspond
to the same curve.

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Because the hydrogen atoms are lighter than the
nitrogen molecules, they move with a higher
average speed and the distribution curve is
stretched out more along the horizontal axis. See
Equation 21.26 for a mathematical statement of the
dependence of Nv on m.