KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY OF GASES
We will analyse the behavior of an ideal gas from
the molecular level. The kinetic molecular theory represents a microscopic
model for different gases since it throws a light on the behaviour of the
particles which constitute the gas. This kinetic modelling (KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY OF GASES) is done based on the
following postulates for a gas:
1. A gas
consists of tiny particles, either atoms or molecules, moving at random
2. The
volume of particles themselves is negligible when compared with the total
volume of the container or the gas as stated earlier
3. There
are no interactions between the particles of the gas
4. Collisions
with walls and among themselves are elastic that is the total kinetic energy
at a given temperature is constant.
5. The
laws of classical mechanics are applicable on the motion that is when the
molecules of the gas collide with the walls there is a change in momentum and
hence a force is applied which appears as the pressure of the gas.
Kinetic theory of gases allows us to derive
theoretically, all the gas laws studied in the previous sections. Calculations
and predictions based on kinetic theory of gases agree very well with the
experimental observations and thus establish the correctness of this model.