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Chapter 21

The Kinetic Theory of Gases


Multiple Choice
1.

A container having a volume of 1.0 m3 holds 5.0 moles of helium gas at 50C. If
the helium behaves like an ideal gas, the total energy of the system is
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

2.

A container having a volume of 1.0 m3 holds 5.0 moles of helium gas at 50C. If
the helium behaves like an ideal gas, the average kinetic energy per molecule is
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

3.

6.7 1020 J.
1.0 1021 J.
1.0 1020 J.
6.7 1021 J.
1.3 1020 J.

The average kinetic energy of a nitrogen molecule at room temperature (20C) is


a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

4.

2.0 104 J.
2.5 104 J.
1.7 103 J.
1.5 103 J.
4.0 104 J.

2 1021 J.
4 1021 J.
6 1021 J.
8 1021 J.
1 1020 J.

The average translational speed of a nitrogen molecule at room temperature


(20C) is approximately (in m/s)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

100.
500.
300.
700.
200.

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5.

CHAPTER 21

A box contains about 5.0 1021 hydrogen atoms at room temperature (21C).
Determine the thermal energy of these atoms.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

6.

Five gas molecules are found to have speeds of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 m/s.
The rms speed (in m/s) is
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

7.

7.5
5.0
2.4
10
20

The air in an automobile engine at 20C is compressed from an initial pressure of


1.0 atm and a volume of 200 cm3 to a volume of 20 cm3. Find the temperature if
the air behaves like an ideal gas ( = 1.4) and the compression is adiabatic.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

9.

390.
300.
360.
330.
320.

Find the specific heat (in cal/mole K) of a gas kept at constant volume when it
takes 1.0 104 J of heat to raise the temperature of 5.0 moles of the gas 200 K
above the initial temperature.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

8.

10 J
20 J
30 J
5.0 J
1.0 J

730C
460C
25C
50C
20C

During an adiabatic compression, a volume of air decreases to 1/4 its original


size. Calculate its final pressure if its original pressure was 1 atm. (Assume the
air behaves like an ideal gas with = 1.4.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

7.0
5.6
3.5
2.2
0.14

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

10.

An ideal gas is allowed to expand adiabatically until its volume increases by


50%. By approximately what factor is the pressure reduced? ( = 5/3.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

11.

b.
c.
d.
e.

270 K
160 K
800 K
1550 K
400 K

Nitrogen gas is heated by a pulsed laser to 50 000 K. If the diameter of the


nitrogen atoms is assumed to be 1.0 x1010 m, and the pressure is 1.0 atm, what is
the mean free path?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

14.

the time associated with heat conduction is slow relative to the speed of the
wave.
no heat can flow between the system and its surroundings.
the speed of the wave is directly proportional to the bulk modulus.
the speed of the wave is proportional to the square root of the bulk
modulus.
air is an ideal gas.

Assume 3.0 moles of a diatomic gas has an internal energy of 10 kJ. Determine
the temperature of the gas after it has reached equilibrium.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

13.

1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5

When we say that the speed of sound is measured under adiabatic conditions we
assume that
a.

12.

365

1.5 104 m
1.5 107 m
1.5 1010 m
1.5 1014 m
1.5 102 m

Assume molecules have an average diameter of 3.00 1010 m. How many times
larger is the mean free path than the diameter at STP? (Assume the pressure is
1.01 105 N/m 2 .)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

500
300
700
1000
2500

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15.

CHAPTER 21

The internal energy of n moles of an ideal gas depends on


a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

16.

A molecule in a uniform ideal gas can collide with other molecules when their
centers are equal to or less than
a.
b.

c.
d.
e.
17.

one state variable T.


two state variables T and V.
two state vartiables T and P.
three state variables T, P and V.
four variables R, T, P and V.

one radius away from its center.


one diameter away from its center.
two diameters away from its center.
twice the cube root of volume away from its center.
2 diameters away from its center.

The average molecular translational kinetic energy of a molecule in an ideal gas


is
a.
b.
c.
d.

3
2
3
2
5
2
5
2

e.

kBT.
RT.
kBT.
RT.

n 3
k T, where n = number of internal degrees of freedom.
2 B

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

18.

The relation PV = nRT holds for all ideal gases. The additional relation PV holds
for an adiabatic process. The figure below shows two curves: one is an adiabat
and one is an isotherm. Each starts at the same pressure and volume. Which
statement is correct? (Note: means is proportional to.)

a.

Isotherm: P

b.

Isotherm: P

c.

Isotherm: P

Isotherm: P

e.

1
V

: B is an isotherm, A is an adiabat.

; Adiabat: P

1
V

; Adiabat: P

d.

: A is both an isotherm and an adiabat.

1
V

; Adiabat: P

19.

367

; Adiabat: P

: A is an isotherm, B is an adiabat.

1
V

: B is both an isotherm and an adiabat.

I cannot answer this without additional information about the starting


temperature.

Which statement below is NOT an assumption made in the molecular model of


an ideal gas?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

The average separation between molecules is large compared with the


dimensions of the molecules.
The molecules undergo inelastic collisions with one another.
The forces between molecules are short range.
The molecules obey Newtons laws of motion.
Any molecule can move in any direction with equal probability.

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20.

CHAPTER 21

The theorem of equipartition of energy states that the energy each degree of
freedom contributes to each molecule in the system (an ideal gas) is
a.

mv .

b.

kBT .

c.

kBT .

d.

mv .

e.

kBT .

21.

The specific heat at constant volume at 0C of one mole of an ideal monatomic


gas is
a.

R.

b.
c.

R.
3

R.

d.
e.

2R.
5

R.

22.

The specific heat at constant volume at 0C of one mole of an ideal diatomic gas
is
a.

R.

b.
c.

R.
3

R.

d.
e.

2R.
5
2

R.

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

23.

369

The specific heat at constant pressure at 0C of one mole of an ideal monatomic


gas is
a.

R.

b.
c.

R.
3

R.

d.
e.

2R.
5

R.

24.

When we consider a thin horizontal layer of the atmosphere, of thickness dy, of


area A, with pressure P on the bottom, with an average mass m per molecule,
and nV molecules per unit volume, the magnitude of the difference of the
pressure at the top and bottom of the layer is given by dP =
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

25.

mgdy.
mgnVdy.
mgAdy.
mgnVAdy.
mgnVAPdy.

Burt states that the molecular model of an ideal gas assumes that the molecules
of the gas do not collide with one another. Brooks states that it assumes that there
is only one molecule moving back and forth between opposite walls in the
container. Which one, if either, is correct?
a.

Burt, because the time interval between collisions with the same wall is

2d
, where v, the velocity, is perpendicular to two opposite walls.
v
Brooks, because t will be greater if there is more than one molecule in the
t

b.

c.
d.

e.

container.
Both, because (a) and (b) are both correct.
Both, because t , a time average over the components of velocity

perpendicular to pairs of walls, is correct as long as the density is low and


collisions are inelastic.
Neither: t , a time average over the components of velocity perpendicular

to pairs of walls, is correct as long as the density is low and collisions are
elastic.

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26.

CHAPTER 21

The temperature of a quantity of an ideal gas is


a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

27.

Two tanks of gas, one of hydrogen, H 2, and one of helium, He, contain equal
numbers of moles of gas. The gram-molecular mass of He is twice that of H 2 .
Both tanks of gas are at the same temperature, 293 K. Which statement(s) below
is(are) correct when we ignore vibrational motion?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

28.

30.

The total internal energy of the hydrogen is the same as that of the helium.

The total internal energy of the hydrogen is 167 times that of the helium.
The total internal energy of the helium is 1.67 times that of the hydrogen.
The total internal energy of the hydrogen is 3.33 times that of the helium.
The total internal energy of the helium is 3.33 times that of the hydrogen.

One mole of hydrogen, one mole of nitrogen and one mole of oxygen are held in
3
2
3
a 22.4 10 cm enclosed vessel at 20 C. The pressure in the vessel, in N/m , is
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

The total internal energy of the hydrogen is the same as that of the helium.

The total internal energy of the hydrogen is 1.4 times that of the helium.
The total internal energy of the helium is 1.4 times that of the hydrogen.
The total internal energy of the hydrogen is 1.67 times that of the helium.
The total internal energy of the helium is 1.67 times that of the hydrogen.

Two tanks of gas, one of hydrogen, H 2, and one of helium, He, contain equal
masses of gas. The gram-molecular mass of He is twice that of H 2 . Both tanks of
gas are at the same temperature, 293 K. Which statement(s) below is(are) correct
when we ignore vibrational motion?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

29.

one measure of its ability to transfer thermal energy to another body.


proportional to the average molecular kinetic energy of the molecules.
proportional to the internal energy of the gas.
correctly described by all the statements above.
correctly described only by (a) and (b) above.

109.
304.
326.

1.09 10 .
3.26 10 5 .

The root mean square speed of a gas molecule is greater than the average speed,
because the former gives a greater weight to
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

lighter molecules.
heavier molecules.
lower speeds.
higher speeds.
more probable speeds.

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

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CHAPTER 21

Open-Ended Problems
31.

A 50-gram sample of dry ice (solid CO2) is placed in a 4-liter container. The
system is sealed and allowed to reach room temperature (20C). By
approximately how much does the pressure inside the container increase when
the dry ice turns to gas? (Ignore the initial volume of the sample.)

32.

One mole of helium gas expands adiabatically from 2 atm pressure to 1 atm
pressure. If the original temperature of the gas is 20C, what is the final
temperature of the gas? ( = 1.67)

33.

Air expands adiabatically (no heat in, no heat out) from T = 300 K and
P = 100 atm to a final pressure of 1 atm. Treat the gas as ideal with = 1.4, and
determine the final temperature. Compare your result to the boiling points of
nitrogen (77.4 K) and oxygen (90.2 K). Could this method result in the
liquification of air?

34.

According to kinetic theory, a typical gas molecule in thermal equilibrium at


room temperature has a kinetic energy K = 6.00 1021 J, regardless of mass.
Estimate the speed at room temperature of a hydrogen molecule H2
(m = 3.34 1027 kg) and a xenon atom (m = 2.00 1025 kg). [kB = 1.38 1023 J/K]

35.

During the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pelee in 1902, an incredibly hot burning
cloud rolled down the mountain and incinerated the town of Saint-Pierre. From
the damage done, the temperature in the cloud was estimated at 700C. If the air
temperature was 20C and the molecular weight of air is 29 grams, estimate the
molecular weight of the gas in the burning cloud that made it heavier than the
surrounding air. [As a follow-on, estimate the most probable composition of the
cloud. Some typical volcanic gases are H2S, SO2, H2SO4, CO2, NO.]

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

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374

CHAPTER 21

Chapter 21
The Kinetic Theory of Gases
1.

18.

2.

19.

3.

20.

4.

21.

5.

22.

6.

23.

7.

24.

8.

25.

9.

26.

10.

27.

11.

28.

12.

29.

13.

30.

14.

31.

the pressure increases by 7 atm

15.

32.

222 K

16.

33.

17.

80.5 K, some oxygen would


liquify

34.

1895 m/s, 245 m/s

35.

96, H2SO4 (sulfuric acid)

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

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