The mean translational kinetic energy per molecule of a classical ideal gas is proportional to absolute temperature.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §13.4 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
The mean translational kinetic energy per molecule of a classical ideal gas is proportional to absolute temperature. This is not the total internal energy of every kind of molecule.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Energy (avg molecular kinetic) | ||
| Boltzmann Constant | ||
| Temperature |
Relate absolute temperature to molecular translation.
Compare mean translational energies at different temperatures.
Find the mean translational kinetic energy per gas molecule at 300 K using the listed Boltzmann constant.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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