Kinetic Energy of Gasses

Introduction :
Let us see about the kinetic energy of gases. In continuous motion, molecules also exert strong electric forces on one another when they are close together. The forces are both attractive and repulsive. The former hold molecules together and the latter cause matter to resist compression. The kinetic theory can explain the existence of the solid, liquid and gaseous states.

Two ways of measuring kinetic Energy:

The energy produced by a body by virtue of its motion is called kinetic energy. A moving body gives kinetic energy. For example bullet shot forms a rifle, flossing water of a river, blowing wind have kinetic energy. A moving body can do work due to its kinetic energy. For example the kinetic energy of a hammer is used to drive a nail in wooden block; the kinetic energy of air may be used to run wind mills, the kinetic energy of a bullet fired from a gun can pierce a target.
The kinetic energy of a body may be measure in two ways.

• By calculating the work required by an external agent to set the body into motion from the state or rest.
• By calculating the work done by the moving body against dissipative force before it comes to rest.

Kinetic Energy of Gases:

The molecules in gases are much farther apart than in solids or liquids and so gases are much less dense and can be squeezed into a smaller space. The molecules dash around at very high speed about 500m/s in all the space available. It is only during the brief spells when they collide with other molecules or with the walls of the container that the molecular forces act.

A model of a gas is shown in figure. The faster the vibrator works the more often the ball-bearings have collisions with the lid, the tube and with each other, representing a gas at a higher temperature. Adding more ball-bearing is like pumping more air into a tyre. If a polystyrene ball is dropped into the tube its irregular motion represents Brownian motion.