Chapter 19: Problem 40
Two containers are at the same temperature. The first contains gas with pressure \(p_{1}\), molecular mass \(m_{1}\), and \(\mathrm{rms}\) speed \(v_{\mathrm{rms} 1}\). The second contains gas with pressure \(2.0 p_{1}\), molecular mass \(m_{2}\), and average speed \(v_{\text {avg2 }}=2.0 v_{\text {rms } 1} .\) Find the mass ratio \(m_{1} / m_{2}\).
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Understand given parameters
Define formulas for rms speed and average speed
Relate speeds of the gases
Equate to find ratio
Solve for \( m_1/m_2 \)
Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!
-
Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
-
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
-
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
-
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.
Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
rms speed
- For any gas, the rms speed is given by the formula: \[ v_{\mathrm{rms}} = \sqrt{\frac{3kT}{m}} \]
- In this equation, \( k \) represents the Boltzmann constant, \( T \) is the absolute temperature, and \( m \) is the molecular mass of the gas molecule.
- It's important to note that the rms speed enables us to understand how fast, on average, molecules are moving in a given state of a gas. This speed increases with temperature because molecules gain kinetic energy.
average speed
- Similar to rms speed, \( k \) is the Boltzmann constant, \( T \) is the temperature, and \( m \) indicates the molecular mass.
- This equation highlights that average speed is also influenced by temperature and molecular mass; however, the factor \( 8/\pi \) highlights the differentiation between the overarching patterns observed in molecular behavior compared to rms speed.
- The average speed is often slightly lower than the rms speed and provides another perspective on the spread and distribution of molecular velocities.
molecular mass
- Represented as \( m \) in the speed formulas, molecular mass defines how much a single molecule weighs.
- In gases, as molecular mass increases, the speed of individual molecules, both rms and average speeds, decreases when comparing at the same temperature.
- Heavier molecules have more inertia, meaning they move slower for the same given kinetic energy.
- Understanding molecular mass is crucial in calculating gas density, pressure, and rate of diffusion.
Boltzmann constant
- Boltzmann constant is a proportionality factor that relates the average kinetic energy of particles in a gas with the temperature of the gas.
- It is expressed as a constant value: \( k = 1.38 \times 10^{-23} \text{ J/K} \).
- In both the rms speed and average speed formulas, \( k \) translates temperature from a macroscopic scale (Kelvin) to an energy scale (Joules), which works at the molecular level.
- The constant also appears in the Boltzmann distribution law, which explains the distribution of speeds in a gas.