Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases

This theory was developed during the middle of the nineteenth century. The postulates of the kinetic molecular theory as applied to gases are outlined below: 1. A gas consists of very small particles. The particles are in constant, random, straight-line motion. 2. The molecules of a gas are very far from each other relative to their size. 3. There is no attraction between molecules; they act independently of one another. 4. Molecules collide with each other and with the walls of container in a perfectly elastic manner. (This means that after each collision, the total kinetic energy of the system remains the same.)

The Concept of Pressure and Meaning of Temperature

Pressure The atmosphere is made up of molecules of different gases. According to the Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases, these molecules are in constant motion. They collide with each other and together with all the objects in the surfaces of the earth, including human beings. This is known as atmospheric pressure. The standard atmospheric pressure is 1 atmosphere (atm). Pressure is defined as the force per unit area.

P=F/A
The SI unit of pressure is Newton per square meter (N/m2). This unit is also called Pascal in the honor of Blaise Pascal. Another unit of pressure is measured in millimeters mercury. One millimeter mercury is also called torr in the honor of Evangelista Torricelli. 1atm = about 105 Pa = 760 mmHg or 760 torr Temperature William Thomson designed the Kelvin scale or Absolute Temperature Scale. The absolute temperature scale assigns a value of zero to the lowest temperature. The 0 K is equal to -2730C. K=0C + 273

Different Gas Laws

A. Boyles Law
Robert Boyle was first to investigate the relationship between pressure of a gas and its volume. From his observation, Boyle concluded that pressure is inversely proportional to the volume such that the doubling of pressure decreases the volume of gas to half its original value.

BOYLES LAW states that:

For a given mass of any gas and with the temperature held constant, the volume of the gas varies inversely with the pressure.

For a given mass of any gas, at a constant temperature, the product of pressure and volume is constant. Thus Boyles Law is written as follows:

P1V1=P2V2
P1= initial pressure P2= final pressure V1= initial volume V2= final volume

Sample Problem: 1. In the experiment above the initial volume and pressure of the gas is 2L, 3 atm. Assuming the temperature and moles of gas is constant, what is the pressure if the volume is reduced to 1.25 L? Let P1 and V1 be the initial pressure and volume and let P2, V2 be the final pressure and volume.

B. Charles Law
French physicist and balloonist Jacques Charles first observed the relationship between volume and temperature. From his observation, Charles observed that at constant pressure, the volume of a gas increases with every increase in temperature. Similarly, the volume decreases as temperature decreases. CHARLES LAW states the volume-temperature relationship this way: The volume of a fixed amount of gas maintained at constant pressure is directly

proportional to its absolute temperature.

Charles Law also explains what happens to a gas if one of the properties--temperature and volume---is altered while the pressure and amounts of gas remain constant. For this condition, the following equation is used:

V1 T1
V1=initial volume, T1=initial temperature (in Kelvin)

V2 ----- = ----T2
V2 = final volume T2= final temperature (in Kelvin)

****V1 and V2 must be in the same units of measurement (Eg. both in liters), T1 and T2 must be in Kelvin NOT Celsius. Sample Problem: 1. A sample of gas at 101.3kPa had a volume of 1.2L at 100oC. What would its volume be at 0oC at the same pressure? V1 = 1.2L V2 =? T1= 100oC = 100 + 273 = 373K T2 = 0oC = 0 + 273 =273K SOLUTION: 1.2/373 = Vf/273 3.22 x 10-3 = Vf/273 Vf = 3.22 x 10-3 x 273 = 0.88L (880mL) 2. A balloon had a volume of 75L at 25oC. To what does the temperature need to raised in order for the balloon to have a volume of 100L at the same pressure? V1 = 75L V2 = 100L T1 = 25oC = 25 + 273 = 298K T2 = ? (K) SOLUTION: V V i/Ti = f/Tf 75/298 = 100/Tf 0.2517 = 100/Tf Tf = 100/0.2517 = 397K (397-273 = 124oC)

C. The Combined Gas Law

A single which describes the relationship between pressure, volume and temperature of a constant amount of gas. BOYLES LAW: V 1
----

CHARLES LAW: V

P T T or PV T/P

COMBINED GAS LAW: V

P 1V1 _________ T1
P1 = initial pressure V1= initial volume T1= initial temperature (K)

P2 V2 ________ T2
P2 = final pressure V2= final volume T2= final temperature (K)

Sample Problem: 1. A quantity of gas occupied a volume of 1.0L at 1atm pressure and 80oC. What pressure is required to compress the gas to a volume of 500mL at 40oC? P1 = 1atm V1= 1.0L T1= 80oC = 80 + 273 = 353K P1V1T2 P2 = T1V2 P2= ?atm V2= 500mL = 500 x 10-3L T2= 80oC = 40 + 273 = 313K 1 x 1.0 x 313 P2 = __________________ 353 x 500 x 10-3

_________

P2 = 1.77atm

2. A quantity of gas has volume of 24.5L at 101.3kPa and 298K. What volume will this gas occupy if it is cooled to 0oC at a pressure of 2atm? P1 = 101.3kPa = 1atm V1= 24.5L T1= 298K P1V1T2 V2 = T1P2 V2 = 298 x 2 V2 = 11.22L P2= 2atm V2= ?L T2 = 0oC = 0 + 273 = 273K

1 x24.5 x 273

D. Avogadros Law According to Avogadros Law, different gases with the same number of molecules at the same
condition and pressure occupy the same volume. Thus, one mole of any ideal gas at standard temperature and pressure occupies a constant volume of 22.4 L.

Another way of stating Avogadros Law is that the volume of a gas at constant temperature and
pressure is directly proportional to the amount of gas expressed in moles, n.

V=kn

V/n= k

V1

____

V2 =

____

n1

n2

This means that two different gases with the same volume at the same temperature and pressure contain an equal number of molecules. AVOGADROS LAW states that:

Two different gases with the same volume contain the same number of molecules of any given temperature and pressure.
Sample Problem: 1. If 0.25 mol of argon gas occupies a volume of 76.2 ml at a particular temperature and pressure, what volume would 0.43 mol of argon have under the same condition? n1= 0.25 mol n2= 0.43 mol V1= 76.2 SOLUTION: V1 V2 ____ = ____ n1 n2

V2=

V1 _____ n1

76.2 ml x n2 V2 =
____________

X 0.43 mol

V2= 131 ml

0.25 mol

E. Gay-Lussacs Law
Joseph Louis Gay Lussac, a French chemist, pioneered in the study of the relationship between pressure and temperature. He stated that: For a given mass of gas in a constant fixed volume, the pressure is directly proportional to the absolute temperature in Kelvin. This is known as Gay-Lussacs Law. If the temperature is doubled, the pressure exerted by the gas also doubles. P T P= kT P/ T=k

The ratio of pressure and temperature is constant since pressure and temperature are directly proportional.

P1 ____ T1

P2 ____ T2

Sample Problem: 1. A sample of a gas at pressure of 3.00X103mmHg inside a steel tank is cooled from 500.00C to 0.00oC. What is the final pressure of the gas inside the steel tank? P1= 3.00X103mmHg T1=500.00C (773.0K) T2= 0.00oC.(273.0K)

Solution: P1
___

P2 ____ T2

Pf=

P1 T 2 _____ T1

(3.00X103mmHg)(273K) V2=
________________________________

P2= 1.06 X 103 mmHg

T1

(773.0K)

F. Ideal Gas Law

Boyles Law, Charles Law, Avogadros Law and Gay-Lussacs Law---- describe ideal gas law behavior. Boyles Law: Charles Law: Avogadros Law: Therefore the ideal gas equation is: V 1/P V T V n

PV=nRT
P=pressure of the confined gas in atmospheres (atm) V=volume of the confined gas, in liters(L) n=moles of gas (mol) T=temperature (K) R = gas constant (dependent on the units of pressure, temperature and volume) R = 8.314 L. kPa R = 0.0821 L. atm
________ ___________

mol. K

mol. K

Sample Problem: 1. What volume is needed to store 0.050 moles of helium gas at 202.6kPa and 400K? Given: P = 202.6 kPa n = 0.050 mol T = 400K V=?L R = 8.314 J K-1 mol-1 Solution: V = (nRT) P 202.6V = 0.050 x 8.314 x 400 202.6 V = 166.28 V = 166.28 202.6 V = 0.821 L (821mL)
2. How many moles of gas are contained in a 50.0 L cylinder at a pressure of 100.0 atm and a

temperature of 35.0oC? Given: V= 50L

P= 100.0 atm T= 35.0oC= 308 K R= 0.0821 L.atm/mol. K Solution: PV=nRT n= PVRT n= (100atm))(50L)
____________________________________

n= 198mol

(0.0821 L.atm/mol.K)(308K)

G. Partial Pressure (Daltons Law)

In a mixture of two or more gases, the total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures of the individual gases.

PTOTAL = PA + PB + PC + PD+Pn
Sample Problem: 1. A container holds three gases: oxygen, carbon dioxide and helium. The partial pressures of three gases are 2.00 atm, 3.00 atm and 4.00 atm, respectively. What is the total pressure? PO2= 2.00 atm Solution: PTOTAL PTOTAL PCO2= 3.00 atm PHe= 4.00 atm

= PA + PB + P C =2.00atm + 3.00atm + 4.00 atm = 9.00atm

H. Grahams Law of Effusion

Thomas Graham found experimentally that the rate of effusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of the mass of its particles. Stated in another way, the relative rates of effusion of two gases at the same temperature are given by the inverse ratio of the square roots of the masses of gas particles. Rate of Effusion for gas 1
_________________________________

M2 __________ M1

Rate of Effusion for gas 2

M1 and M2 represent the atomic of molecular weights of the gases.

Sample Problem: 1. How much faster does O2 escape through a porous container than SO2 under similar condition? MW of O2= 32g/mol MW of SO2= 64g/mol 64g/mol
__________________

8 =
____

1.41 this means that O2 diffuses 1.41 times as fast as SO2.

32g/mol

5.66

REFERENCE: FUNCTIONAL AND CONCEPTUAL CHEMISTRY