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111. Explain the concept of absolute zero and how the average kinetic
energy of molecules is related to the absolute temperature.
- If you take energy away from a substance, its temperature becomes lower.
Once all of this internal energy is taken away, the molecules will not have any
internal kinetic energy left. At this point, the temperature of the substance is said
to be absolute zero.
- The gaps in the Kelvin Scale are similar to the Fahrenheit and Celsius. Kelvin
scale starts at absolute zero at which there is no kinetic energy in molecules. So
the Kelvin scale of temperature is sometimes called the absolute temperature.
- As the units begin from a definite zero and go up in proportion to the amount of
energy being added to the molecules of the substance being measured, it is
clear that as the average kinetic energy of the molecules increases so does the
absolute temperature.
- The root mean square speed is sqrt(c2) from the expression above.
113. Use the expression pV = NkT as the equation of state for an ideal
gas.
- pV = NkT
- where N is the number of molecules of the gas and k is the Boltzmann constant.
The temperature must be absolute temperature in Kelvin.
- The above equation is the equation of state for an ideal gas, expressed in terms
of the number of molecules present.