Practice portal › Kinetic Theory of Gases › Kinetic Energy of Molecules
Asked in CBSE AIPMT 2000 · Kinetic energy per molecule
Given: CO and N₂ at the same temperature.
Idea: by equipartition the average energy of a molecule depends on its degrees of freedom and the temperature, and on nothing else — not on its mass.
Both molecules are diatomic, so f=5 for each.
Average energy per molecule: f/2k_BT=5/2k_BT for both.
The temperature is the same, so the energies are equal.
E₁=E₂.
Their molar masses happen to be equal too, both 28 g mol⁻¹, but that is not needed: mass never enters the average energy.
Reading this solution needs no sign-in. You only sign in to practise against the clock and keep your progress.
Practise this with a timer