CAMBRIDGE A LEVEL

PHYSICS

IDEAL GASES

LEARNING OUTCOMES
NUMBER

LEARNING OUTCOME

L e a r n a n e w S I b a s e q u a n t i t y, t h e a m o u n t o f
substance.

ii

Understand the difference between macroscopic and microscopic

properties of a substance. Know what is the meaning of state variables.

iii

Learn the ideal gas equation and use it. Understand

what ideal gases are.

iv

Understand the importance of Brownian motion to the kinetic model.

What is internal energy?

vi

Learn the assumptions of the kinetic theory for

ideal gases and learn how gases exert pressure.

vii

D e r i v e e q u a t i o n s t h a t r e l a t e a m a c r o s c o p i c p r o p e r t y,
temperature and a microscopic one, average speed.

THE MOLE
The amount of substance is one of
the 6 S.I. base quantities.
Units of amount of substance is the
mole (symbol = mol).

THE MOLE
1 mol of a substance is defined as
the amount of that substance that
has a equal number of particles to
the number of atoms in 0.012 kg of
carbon -12.

THE MOLE
Avogadros constant is equal to
the number of atoms in 0.012 kg
of carbon 12.
0.012 kg of carbon 12 has 6.022
1023 atoms.
Hence, Avogadros constant, 


is equal to
.

THE MOLE
Hence, 1 mole of a substance is the
amount of substance that has a
number of particles equal to  .
The number of moles,  , can be
calculated from the mass of substance,

m by using the equation   , where

M = molar mass of the substance.

THE MOLE
The molar mass, M of a
substance is the mass (in g) of 1
mol of a substance.

THE MOLE
We can use Avogadros constant
and the number of moles to find
the number of particles present
in a sample of a substance.
How? Use
,where

the number of elementary
particles.

MICROSCOPIC vs.
MACROSCOPIC
Substances (solid, liquids or gases) are
made up of the elementary units of the
substance.
For example, gaseous
 is made up of

 molecules.
Microscopic properties are properties of
the elementary particles that make up
the substance.

MICROSCOPIC vs.
MACROSCOPIC
For example, a sample of gaseous

would have molecules, and each of its
molecules would have momentum, velocity
(or speed), mass and kinetic energy.
It is difficult to measure the microscopic
properties of all the elementary particles in
a substance due to the large number of
particles that make up the substance.

MICROSCOPIC vs.
MACROSCOPIC
Macroscopic properties are properties
of the substance of the whole.
For example, a sample of gaseous

 would have a temperature,

pressure, volume, mass, density and
number of moles.
Macroscopic properties define the
state the of the substance.

STATE VARIABLES
The state variables are the variables
that define the state of a matter.
The state variables we will encounter are
pressure, temperature, volume, density
and amount of substance.
State variables are related to one
another via an equation of state.

IDEAL GASES
Ideal gases are gases that precisely
obey the ideal gas equation at all
temperatures,
volumes
and
pressures.
Real gases obey this law only at low pressures
and high temperatures, when they are furthest
apart and moving the fastest. However, we can
use this equation for approximate calculations.

T H E I D E A L G A S E Q U AT I O N
If this hypothetical experiment was
carried out using a gas, what would
be observed are:
I. The volume of the gas, V, is
directly proportional to the
amount (number of moles) of
the gas, n (if temperature, T and
pressure, p are kept constant).
II. The pressure of the gas, p is
inversely proportional to the
volume, V of the gas (for
constant T and n).
Figure 18.1, page 591: Chapter 18: THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER; SEARS AND ZEMANSKYS
UNIVERSITY PHYSICS WITH MODERN PHYSICS; Young, Hugh D. and Freedman, Roger A., Addison Wesley,
San Francisco, 2012.

T H E I D E A L G A S E Q U AT I O N
III. The pressure, p of the gas is
directly proportional to the
thermodynamic temperature
of the gas, T, for constant V
and n.
IV. The
thermodynamic
temperature of a gas is the
temperature of the gas
expressed in Kelvin.
For
conversion,
use
     

. 
Figure 18.1, page 591: Chapter 18: THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER; SEARS AND ZEMANSKYS
UNIVERSITY PHYSICS WITH MODERN PHYSICS; Young, Hugh D. and Freedman, Roger A., Addison Wesley,
San Francisco, 2012.

T H E I D E A L G A S E Q U AT I O N
All of those previous relationships can be
summed up into one equation   
This equation is known as the ideal gas
equation
, the proportionality constant, is the
universal gas constant
 .    
What are the units of p, V, n and T?

T H E I D E A L G A S E Q U AT I O N
The ideal gas equation can be
manipulated to obtain other
forms of it.
I. pV  #$
II.
III.


  , or

&'
 , where * density, or,
()
 




where the subscripts


2 represent different states.

1 and

T H E I D E A L G A S E Q U AT I O N
Recall that 


 .Hence,


o +,  #$


 



 ,


or

o   - ,
o where -





 .  . /
 /

k is known as the Boltzmann constant.

EXAMPLES

Example 18.1, page 593: Chapter 18: THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER; SEARS AND
ZEMANSKYS UNIVERSITY PHYSICS WITH MODERN PHYSICS; Young, Hugh D. and
Freedman, Roger A., Addison Wesley, San Francisco, 2012.

EXAMPLES

Example; Section 6.3 The Gas Laws, Page 145, Chapter 6: Thermal Physics ,
International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown, Hodder
Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

EXAMPLES

Exercises; Section 6.3 The Gas Laws, Page 146, Chapter 6: Thermal Physics ,
International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown, Hodder
Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

EXAMPLES

Exercises; Section 6.3 The Gas Laws, Page 146, Chapter 6: Thermal Physics ,
International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown, Hodder
Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

INTERNAL ENERGY
Each of the gas molecule has a certain
amount of energy.
This energy is the kinetic energy,
associated with its movement, and the
potential energy due to the forces that
exist between the gas molecules.

INTERNAL ENERGY
In addition all the molecules will have
different kinetic energies as some are
moving faster and some slower and also
different amount of potential energies
as this energy is dependent on the
position of the molecule in a given
container.

INTERNAL ENERGY
We can now say that the kinetic energies
of each of the molecules are randomly
distributed, and the potential energy of
each of the molecule also follows a
random distribution.

INTERNAL ENERGY
When we add the kinetic energies and
potential energies of all the gas
molecules, we remove the random
nature of the energies.
What we get is known as the internal
energy of the gas.

INTERNAL ENERGY
Definition: The internal energy of a
substance is the sum of the random
distribution of kinetic and potential
energies of all the molecules associated
with the system.

BROWNIA N MOT ION

Robert Brown, an English botanist, put forward his
observation of tiny pollen grains floating on water
undergoing a constant , random , haphazard motion,
even though the water appeared still when viewed under
the microscope.
This movement is now known as Brownian motion.
This motion is only possible if the water molecules are in a
state of rapid and random motion. These water
molecules randomly collide with the pollen grains from
all directions causing the pollen grains to experience this
Brownian motion.

BROWNIA N MOT ION

Diagram
shows
how a simple set
up can be used to
show
Brownian
motion.
Laser beam can be
replaced by another
coherent source of
light.
Figure 12a, Chapter 17 : Atoms, Molecules and Atomic Processes, page 6; PHYSICS
2000 ; E.R. HUGGINS; Moose Mountain Digital Press, New Hampshire 2000.

B R OW N I A N M OT I O N

Figure 6.14: Observing Brownian Motion, Page 148, Chapter 6: Thermal Physics ,
International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown, Hodder
Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

KINETIC THEORY OF IDEAL

GASES
We also know that samples of gases have
macroscopic and microscopic properties.
We can relate the macroscopic and
microscopic
properties
of
gases.
However, we must make some
assumptions
about
the
atoms/
molecules of the gases first.

KINETIC THEORY OF IDEAL

GASES
These assumptions are known as the kinetic
theory of ideal gases.
We will look at these assumptions first, and
then derive a very important relationship
between a microscopic property, 1 2 3
(average kinetic energy of one molecule)
with a macroscopic (state) property , T
(temperature).

KINETIC THEORY OF IDEAL

GASES
The assumptions are:

Section 6.4 A microscopic model of a gas, Page 149, Chapter 6: Thermal Physics ,
International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown, Hodder
Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
Ideal gas particles / molecules also exert
pressure on the inner walls of the
container.
Question: How and why?
We can use the kinetic theory of ideal
gases to explain this.

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
USING SIMPLE KINETIC MODEL TO EXPLAIN PRESSURE EXERTED
BY GASES
Gas particles / molecules are in a state of continuous, random motion.
As a result, the gas particles / molecules are constantly involved in
collisions with the inner walls of the container
The collisions are assumed to be elastic.
The momentum of the colliding particles / molecules change and the
particles / molecules have lower momentum after collision.
This change of momentum over a short time produces a force acting on
the particular area of the surface of the container.
This force acting per unit of area is the pressure that is exerted by the gas
particles on the inner surface of the container.

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
We will try to derive an equation for
the pressure exerted by gas molecules
on the walls of a cubic container of
length = L.
We assume that all molecules have the
same speed in the x - direction, both
before and after collision.
The mass of each gas molecule = m

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES

45

Figure 19.14, page 614: Chapter 19: THE IDEAL GAS; Physics for Scientists and Engineers ,
Volume 1; 3rd edition Ohanian, Hans C. and Markert, John T., W.W Norton and Company Inc,
New York, 2007.

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
The change in momentum of the one of
the gas molecules = 2745
The time taken for one gas molecule to
move from one wall to the other and
9
back , t 
:;

Hence, the force exerted by one gas

molecule on the wall, < 

=:; >
9

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
We assume there are N gas molecules,
BC

hence ?@@A  
D
The pressure exerted by the gas
molecules on one face of the wall,


?@@A


D

BC

D

BC



KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
We assumed all molecules have the
same speed, but some molecules move
slower, others faster. Hence use the
average square of the speeds, 45 
Our equation now becomes + 

E= :; >
F

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
The molecules are also equally likely to move
in the x, y and z directions.
 B

We obtain  

We can rearrange the above equation to yield
 

 B



KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
The equation above is one equation that
relates the macroscopic properties of +, ,
with microscopic properties of 7, 1 4  3.
We will now move on to relate the
macroscopic quantity of with 2 .
This will be done by using the equations
  - and  

 B



KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES

2-  

Recall
B where 2- 
the average kinetic energy of a gas
molecule.
Hence,

I
H

KL .

+,


J
 I 7
H


KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
We already know that +,  IM$


Hence,  2-  - , or 2- 

-

We now have an equation to help us

calculate the average kinetic energy
of a gas molecule by just knowing its
temperature.

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
Some analysis of the equation(s):
+, actually gives us the work done on or by
the gas. This work done will change the
kinetic energy of an ideal gas, but not the
potential energy of an ideal gas.
In other words, when we change the internal
energy of an ideal gas, we are changing only
the average kinetic energy of each molecule

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
Some analysis of the equation(s) (contd):

 I
H

We can use p,
KL to calculate the
change in the average kinetic energy of an
ideal gas molecule.

KINETIC THEORY OF
IDEAL GASES
Some analysis of the equation(s) (contd):

J
From KL  7

HLO

4  , and
=

H
4  M$,
M$ we can get

HLO

4 
, where
=


B
 root mean squared (r.m.s.) of

the speed.

EXAMPLES

Example; Section 6.4 A Microscopic Model of a Gas, Page 152, Chapter 6: Thermal
Physics , International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown,
Hodder Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

EXAMPLES

Exercises; Section 6.4 A Microscopic Model of a Gas, Page 152, Chapter 6: Thermal
Physics , International A/AS Level Physics, by Mee, Crundle, Arnold and Brown,
Hodder Education, United Kingdom, 2008.

EXAMPLES
May/June 2008 Paper 4, Question 2.

EXAMPLES
May/June 2008 Paper 4, Question 2 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/June 2008 Paper 4, Question 2 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/June 2008 Paper 4, Question 2 (contd).

EXAMPLES
May/June 2009 Paper 4, Question 2.

EXAMPLES
May/June 2009 Paper 4, Question 2 (contd).

HOMEWORK
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Winter 2008, Paper 4, question 5.

Winter 2009, Paper 41, question 2.
Summer 2010, Paper 41, question 2.
Summer 2011, Paper 41, question 2.
Summer 2011, Paper 42, question 2.
Winter 2011, Paper 41, question 2.
Winter 2011, Paper 43, question 1.
Summer 2012, Paper 41, question 2.

HOMEWORK
9. Winter 2012, Paper 41, question 2.
10.Winter 2012, Paper 43, question 1.