Kinetic Theory Flashcards
All 6 cards in this deck
How do the molecules of a gas move?
In constant random motion — in random directions and with a range of speeds.
True or false? All the molecules in a gas move at the same speed.
False. The molecules move with a range of speeds, in random directions.
What property of the molecules of a gas is the temperature of the gas related to?
The average (mean) kinetic energy of the molecules — the higher the temperature, the greater the average kinetic energy.
What causes the pressure that a gas exerts on the walls of its container?
Molecules colliding with the walls — each collision exerts a force, and pressure is the total force per unit area.
In which direction does the force produced by the pressure of a gas act on the wall of its container?
At right angles (90°) to the wall or surface.
Heating a fixed mass of gas at constant volume increases its pressure. What three changes to the molecules explain this?
- Higher mean kinetic energy, so higher mean speed
- More frequent collisions with the walls (more per second)
- Greater force in each collision, so greater force on the same area