POSTULATES OF KINETIC

THEORY OF GASES
• The dimensions of a molecule is negligible compared to the average distance
between the molecules.
• Molecules of gases are incessant random motion colliding against one another
and with the walls of the container.
• Molecules are perfectly rigid spheres with no internal structure. There is no
force of attraction or repulsion between molecules among themselves or
between the molecules and the walls. Thus all internal energy of the gas is
kinetic.
• All collisions between molecules among themselves or between molecules and
the walls are elastic. Between two collisions a molecule moves in a straight line
with uniform velocity.
Concept of kinetic energy ,pressure
& temperature
Pressure exerted by a gas
It is due to continuously bombardment of gas molecule against the walls of the
container and is given by the relation.
P= 1/3 n mv2
where n is the number density of molecules . m is the mass of the
molecule and v2 is mean square velocity.
 Kinetic interpretation of
temperature
Let P,V and T be the pressure volume and temperature of the gas respectively.

Form kinetic theory of gases, the pressure exerted by one mole of an idle gas is given by
P = 1/3 M/V * u-2
or PV = MV-2/3

But according to the gas equation

PV = RT
=> MV-2/3 = RT

Multiplying both sides by 3/2, we get

1/2MV-2 = 3/2RT

MV-2/2 is the average kinetic energy of the gas say E

therefore
E = 3/2RT
 Maxwell's speed distribution
Maxwell's law of speed distribution in a gas at temperature T is

where

Where N is the total number of molecules the plot of n v vs. v is known as Maxwell's speed
distribution and is shown in graph.
 Root mean square velocity of gas
molecule
It is defined as the square root of the squares of the velocities of the
individual molecules of the gas.

Now,
 Mean speed or average speed
It is the arithmetic mean of the speeds of molecule in a gas at a given
temperature .
Mean speed of a molecule is given by

Most probable speed

It is the speed at which fraction of molecule f(v) is maximum.
 Degrees of freedom
The degrees of freedom of a system are defined as the total number of coordinate or independent quantities required to
describe the configuration of the system completely.
If in a system consisting of N particles, the particles possess K independent relation between them the number of degrees of
freedom of the system is given by
f = 3N-K
The degrees of freedom in the following cases are:-
※ Monoatomic gas molecule:- in such a case N = 1 and K = 0
f = 3*1-0 = 3
i.e. a monoatomic gas molecule possesses 3 degrees of freedom.
※ Diatomic gas molecule:- in a diatomic gas molecule the two atoms are held at a fixed distance by the molecular bond.
N = 2 and K = 1.
f = 3*2-1 = 5
※ Triatomic gas molecule:- in a triatomic gas molecule the three atoms are held at a fixed distances relative to one
another by the three molecular bonds. N = 3 and K = 2
f = 3*3-2 = 7
 Types of kinetic energy of a gas
molecule
※ Kinetic energy of translatory motion:- A gas molecule possess kinetic energy of
translatory motion due to its linear motion.
it is given by Et = 1/2mv2
※ Kinetic energy of rotational motion:- A gas molecule possess kinetic energy of
rotational motion about an axis.
it is given by Er = 1/2Iw2
※ Kinetic energy of vibratory motion:- A gas molecule possess kinetic energy of
vibratory motion when it vibrates about the mean position.
 Law of Equipartition of Energy

※ It states that for a dynamical system in thermal

equilibrium the energy of the system is equally
distributed amongst the various degrees of freedom and
the energy associated with each degree of freedom per
molecule is ½ KT,where K is Boltzmann constant.
 Concept of Free Mean Path
※ The free mean path of a molecule is define das the average distance
traveled by the molecule between two successive collisions and is
measured as the mean of a large number of free path.
※ Free mean path of a molecule
= 1+ 2+ 3 +………………….

total number of collisions