Kinetic Molecular Theory
Definition
The Kinetic Molecular Theory is a model that explains the behavior of gases. It states that gas particles are in constant, random motion and that they collide with each other and the walls of their container without losing energy.
Analogy
Think of the Kinetic Molecular Theory like a game of pool. The balls (gas particles) are constantly moving around on the table (container), colliding with each other and the sides of the table. No matter how many times they hit each other or bounce off the sides, they keep moving at roughly the same speed because no energy is lost in these collisions.
Related terms
Molecular Speed: This refers to how fast molecules move; in our analogy, it's like how fast balls move on a pool table.
Elastic Collision: This is when two objects collide and then separate without any loss in total kinetic energy; just like when two pool balls hit each other, they bounce off but don't slow down.
Pressure: This is defined as force per unit area. In our analogy, it's similar to how hard those pool balls are hitting against each other and against the sides of the table.
"Kinetic Molecular Theory" appears in:
Study guides (3)
Practice Questions (7)
At low temperatures, gas particles move slower and spend more time around each other. Which assumption of the Kinetic Molecular Theory does this violate?
Which of the following is NOT an assumption of the Kinetic Molecular Theory?
The assumption made by Kinetic Molecular Theory is that all collsions between particles are __________.
One assumption made by Kinetic Molecular theory is that gas particles move in __________ motion.
According to Kinetic Molecular Theory, the volume of a gas particle is __________ compared to the space between them.
According to the Kinetic Molecular Theory, gas particles move in ________ motion.
According to Kinetic Molecular Theory, at a given temperature, all gases have ______ average kinetic energy.
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