Kinetic Theory of Gases Assumptions
There are several assumptions that were taken into account in order to develop the kinetic theory of gas which are stated as follows:
- Every gas consists of molecules that are microscopic particles.
- There are uncountably large numbers of particles making up any Gas.
- The size of the molecule also known as the molecular size is negligible as compared to the molecular distance between two molecules (which is approximately 10-9 m).
- The speed of the molecules of a gas is very high generally and it can lie anywhere between 0 and infinity.
- The molecule shape of gas is spherical, rigid, and elastic masses.
- The mean free path is known as the mean of all free paths. The free path is defined as the distance covered by the molecules between their two successive collisions.
- The number of collisions per unit volume always remains the same in gas and is a constant.
- There is no force of attraction or repulsion acting between the gas molecules.
- The force of gravitation is also negligible due to the fact that the molecules have a very very small mass and they travel at a very high speed.
Kinetic Theory of Gases
Kinetic Theory of Gases is a theoretical model which helps us understand the behavior of gases and their constituent particles. This theory suggests that gas is made up of a larger number of tiny particles which collide with each other and their surroundings and exchange kinetic energy between them. The kinetic theory of gases has various applications throughout physics, chemistry, and engineering and it is essential to understand many phenomena like diffusion, effusion, and Brownian motion.
In this article, we will learn about the assumptions of kinetic theory, its limitations, and others in detail.