Chapter 8: Temperature and Ideal Gases

Question 1

Define thermal equilibrium

Answer 1

When two bodies are in thermal equilibrium, there is no net transfer of thermal energy between the bodies in thermal contact and the bodies are at the same temperature.

Question 2

What is an ideal gas?

Answer 2

An ideal gas is a theoretical gas that obeys the equation of state pV = nRT at all pressures p, volumes V and thermodynamic temperatures T for a fixed mass of gas. R is the molar gas constant and n is the amount of gas in moles

Question 3

State the assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases

Answer 3

1. Any gas is made up of a large number of particles
2. The particles are in constant and random motion
3. The particles make perfectly elastic collisions among themselves and with the wall of the container.
4. The volume of each particle is negligible compared to the volume of the gas.
5. The forces between the particles are negligible except during the time of collision, implying that the microscopic potential energy of the particles is constant and we can set it as 0J
6. The duration of collisions is negligible compared with the time interval between collisions