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The Kinetic Molecular Theory
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Kinetic Molecular Theory and Its Applications
 

Kinetic Molecular Theory

 
 

Terms and Formulae

 

Terms

 
Boltzmann constant  -  A constant, k, involved in the equation for average velocity. k = 1.38×10-23 J/K
 
Diffusion  -  Diffusion is the spread of one substance through another.
 
Effusion  -  Effusion is the rate at which a gas passes through a small hole into a vacuum.
 
Kinetic energy  -  Ek = 1/2mv2
 
Kinetic molecular theory  -  A theory that models the interaction between individual gas molecules. See the summary for more details.
 
Maxwell-Boltzmann speed distribution  -  The distibution attained when molecule speed is set against the number of molecules sharing that speed.
 
Mean free path  -  The mean distance a molecule travels before it impacts another molecule; given the huge number of collisions in a gas, the mean free path is vastly smaller than any typical room or container. The equation for mean free path:

λ =    

 
mp  -  The most probable velocity at which the most molecules in a gas travel. The formula for most probable velocity is:

vp = =    

 
Root mean square velocity  -  An equation to measure the typical velocity of molecules in a gas.


vrms =  
  =  
  =  

 

Formulae

 
 
Average velocity

= =    

 
Kinetic energy Ek = 1/2mv2
 
Mean free path

λ =    

 
Formule for most probable velocity

vp = =    

 
Formula for root mean square velocity


vrms =  
  =  
  =  

 
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