CHEM 145 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9.5: Kinetic Theory Of Gases, Intermolecular Force
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Chem 145: chapter 9. 5: the kinetic theory of gases. We use the theory to find relationships among pressure, volume and motion (speed) of gases. Suppose a gas is in a rectangular container with length (l) and area (a) We pick out a single molecule moving with speed (u). It is important to distinguish between speed and velocity here. Velocity points out the direction of the molecule as well as the magnitude, which is speed. When the molecule collides with the end of the box after travelling its length, the y and z components of velocity don"t change but the x component changes. It becomes the exact opposite of the initial velocity (-vx) because the collision is assumed to be elastic. After this collision, the molecule travels to the 2nd wall and comes back to hit the first wall to collide. Therefore, between two collisions of the same molecule and wall, the molecule traveled.