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Q.What are the basic assumptions of Kinetic theory of Gases. On their basis, derive an expression for the pressure exerted by an ideal gas?

(OR)
(a) Prove that Average Kinetic Energy of a gas molecule is proportional to the absolute temperature of the Gas? [2 marks]
(b) A flask contains argon and chlorine in the ratio of 2 : 1 by mass. The temperature of mixture is 27 C, obtain the ratio of
(i) average kinetic energy per molecule and
(ii) Root mean square speed V_rms of the molecules of the two gases. Atomic mass of argon = 39.9 u; Molecular mass of chlorine = 70.9 u. [3 marks]
Himachal HpboseHPBOSE Himachal Pradesh Class 11 Board Exam 2026Subjective· 5mImportance★★★★★
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Treating gas molecules as point particles making elastic collisions with a container's walls, the momentum transferred per collision, summed over all molecules, gives the pressure formula P = (1/3) ρ vrms².

Basic assumptions of the Kinetic Theory of Gases:

  1. A gas consists of a very large number of identical molecules that behave like perfectly elastic hard spheres.
  2. The molecules are in continuous, random motion, moving with all possible speeds in all directions.
  3. The size of a molecule is negligible compared to the average distance between molecules — molecules are treated as point masses.
  4. Molecules exert no force on one another except during a collision (no intermolecular forces between collisions).
  5. All collisions — between molecules, and between molecules and the walls of the container — are perfectly elastic, so kinetic energy is conserved.
  6. The time spent during a collision is negligible compared to the time between two successive collisions.
  7. Between collisions, molecules travel in straight lines with constant velocity, obeying Newton's laws of motion.

Derivation of pressure exerted by an ideal gas: Consider N identical molecules, each of mass m, enclosed in a cubical container of side L (volume V = L³).

Consider one molecule moving with velocity components (vx, vy, vz). Look at its motion along the x-direction, striking the wall perpendicular to the x-axis.

Since the collision with the wall is perfectly elastic, the molecule's x-component of velocity reverses: vx → −vx, while vy, vz are unchanged.

Change in momentum of the molecule (along x) per collision = mvx − (−mvx) = 2mvx.

By Newton's third law, this momentum is transferred to the wall.

After bouncing off this wall, the molecule travels to the opposite wall and back, covering distance 2L, before striking the same wall again. Time between successive collisions on this wall:

Δt = 2L / vx

Force exerted by this ONE molecule on the wall (rate of momentum transfer):

f = 2mvx / (2L/vx) = m vx² / L

Summing over all N molecules, total force on that wall:

F = (m/L) Σ vx² = (m N / L) × (average of vx²)

Since molecular motion is random with no preferred direction, by symmetry:

(average of vx²) = (average of vy²) = (average of vz²)

And since (average of v²) = (average of vx²) + (average of vy²) + (average of vz²):

(average of vx²) = (1/3)(average of v²) = (1/3) vrms²

So:

F = (mN/L) × (1/3) vrms² = mN vrms² / (3L)

Pressure = Force / Area of one wall (L²):

P = F / L² = mN vrms² / (3L³) = mN vrms² / (3V)

Since the density ρ = mN / V (total mass / volume):

P = (1/3) ρ vrms²

…

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