Enumerate the postulates of

Objectives 1 the kinetic molecular theory

(KMT) of gases.
At the end of
the lesson,
you should be Relate how these postulates
able to: 2 account for the properties of
gases.
PROPERTIES OF
GASES
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Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases

• It is a model used to describe the behavior of gases.

• It explains how macroscopic properties, such as pressure
and temperature, are related to the behavior of molecules.
• It is derived from the kinetic molecular theory of matter
which describes the three states of matter based on the
motion of their atoms
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Assumptions of the Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases

1. Gases are composed of molecules that move in constant random motion.

a. Gas molecules are not visible to the human eye but the effects of their
movements can be detected.
b. For example, the dust particles move randomly in a beam of light.
2. The molecules have no definite volume, but they have a definite mass.
a. Gas molecules are very small and very far apart from one another.
This causes them to take the shape of their container.
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3. Each molecule moves in a straight line until it collides with another

molecule or the walls of the container.
a. This, again can be detected by observing dust particles moving in a beam
of light.
b. The movement is referred to as Brownian motion.
4. The collision between the molecules is completely elastic.
a. Elastic collision means no kinetic energy is lost when the molecules
collide.
b. For example, when a gas molecule with an initial kinetic energy collides
with another gas molecule, all of the kinetic energy will be transferred.
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5. There is no attractive force among the molecules or between the molecules

and the wall of the container.
a. The molecules of gases have minimal to negligible intermolecular forces
of attraction.
b. This can be seen by the fact that gases expand to achieve the shape of the
container or compressed to smaller volumes.
6. The average kinetic energy of the gas molecules depends only on the
temperature of the gas.
a. The higher the temperature, the more energy is acquired by the gas
molecules allowing them to move faster.
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Ideal and Real Gas

• An ideal gas is a gas that follows all the assumptions of the

kinetic molecular theory.
• A real gas has molecules that occupy space and interact
with one another. Unlike ideal gases, real gases cannot be
compressed indefinitely.
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Ideal and Real Gas

• At low pressures, the gas molecules are far apart that the
attractive force between them is negligible. Real gases
behave as ideally.
• At high temperatures, the gas molecules have higher
average kinetic energy. They move faster and expand. As a
result, they are far apart from one another, making the
attractive force between them negligible. At high
temperatures, real gases behave ideally.
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Ideal and Real Gas

• Gases made up of smaller molecules are more

compressible than larger molecules.

• Helium and other gases with small molecules can behave

like ideal gases in smaller containers where propane can no
longer behave as such.
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Ideal and Real Gas

Gas molecules of different sizes. In smaller containers of a certain volume, larger

molecules may no longer behave like ideal gas but smaller molecules still can.
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Ideal and Real Gas

At low pressure and high temperature, a real gas behaves like an ideal gas (left). At
high pressure and low temperature, attractive intermolecular forces are no longer
negligible, and thus the ideal-gas model no longer applies (right).
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Fundamental Properties of Gas

Fundamenta Description Formula and Helpful Unit
l Properties Conversions
Volume Molecules of Its SI unit is in liters (L).
gases occupy a It can also be expressed
space. It may in milliliters (mL), cubic
be proven centimeters (cm3 ) , cubic
when the gas meter (m3) and cubic
fills up its decimeters (dm3)
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Fundamental Description Formula and Helpful Unit
Properties Conversions
Pressure When you inflate The SI unit used for pressure
a balloon, it Pressure (P) is pascal (Pa), after Blaise
expands because Pascal. Other units of
molecules of pressure are atmosphere
gases strike the (atm), milliliter of mercury
walls of the (mmHg), torr, bar, kilopascal
balloon, causing (kPa) and pounds per square
a pressure on it. inch (psi)
Pressure of the
gas is the force
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Fundamental Description Formula and Helpful Unit
Properties Conversions
Temperature The temperature The temperature of the gas is
of a gas depends K = ºC + 273.15 generally expressed in
on the kinetic Fahrenheit (ºF), Centigrade
energy of the gas. degree (ºC) or Celsius degree
Gases expand and Kelvin (K).
when temperature
is increased.
Amount of gas The mass of the n The mass of the gas is
(or mass) gas is related to generally expressed in
Key Points

The kinetic molecular theory (KMT) is a model used to

1 describe the behavior of gases.

An ideal gas is a gas that follows all the assumptions of

2 the kinetic molecular theory. A real gas deviates from one
or more assumptions of the kinetic molecular theory.

At low pressure and high temperature, a real gas behaves

3 like an ideal gas.
Key Points
 Challenge Yourself

Explain why real gases behave ideally at low

pressures and high temperatures.