1

EQUATION OF STATE OF AN IDEAL GAS

An ideal gas is a gas that obeys the equation under all conditions of T and P

, for an ideal gas of n moles
, for an ideal gas of N molecules
(

) , for an ideal gas of mass m

Molar gas constant R= 8.31 JK
-1
mol
-1

Boltzmann constant

, where

and

Connected gas containers:









When the valve is opened,
the final pressure in the two containers = p
the total number of moles in the two gases remains constant at n
the final temperature in the two containers = T

p
2
, V
2
,
n
2
, T
2
valve
p
1
, V
1
,
n
1
, T
1
2

KINETIC THEORY OF GASES

Basic assumptions:

1. Gas consists of large number of molecules
2. Motion of gas molecules is random
3. Gas molecules has a distribution of speed
4. Gas pressure is due to collisions between gas molecules and walls of container

Simplifying assumptions:

1. Volume of molecules negligible
2. Intermolecular attraction negligible
3. Elastic collisions
4. Time of collision negligible compared with time between collisions.

or

or

or

N = number of molecules in the gas,
m = mass of one molecule,
V = volume occupied by the gas

( )

= mean square speed of the molecules

= root-mean-square speed of molecules

3

Temperature and internal energy of an ideal gas:
The internal energy of a system is the sum of the random distribution of kinetic and potential
energies of all its particles. The random k.e is due to random motion and potential energy due
to the attractive intermolecular forces.

Internal energy of an ideal gas is sum of only k.e of all particles in the gas (temperature
dependent)
Equate

and gives

= average translational k.e of a monatomic molecule

= average translational k.e of N monatomic molecules

= average translational k.e of one mole of a monatomic ideal gas

= average translational k.e of n moles of a monatomic ideal gas

Internal energy U of an ideal gas of n moles:

or

For a given mass of gas,

For different gases at the same temperature T,