3.

3 Modelling a gas
The kinetic energies of gas molecules follow the
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.
The Kinetic model of an ideal gas:
Ar-40
Molecule assumptions: number 0℃
negligible volume of Ne-20
1000 ℃
large number (enough for stats) molecules
2000 ℃ He-4
constant random motion (direction and speed)
Molecule-molecule assumptions:
perfectly elastic collisions speed
no intermolecular forces
the duration of collisions is negligible compared to the time between collisions
Molecule-container assumptions:
perfectly elastic collisions
each molecule produces a force on the wall of the container
the forces of the molecules average out to produce a uniform pressure

Q1. Which of the following are assumptions of the kinetic model of ideal gases ?
A. Molecules experience negligible change in momentum during collisions with the container walls.
B. The volume of the molecules is negligible compared with the volume of the gas.
C. The duration of a collision is negligible compared with the time between collisions.
D. Collisions with the container walls cause no change in the average kinetic energy of the molecules.
E. All particles in the gas have the same mass.
F. All particles in the gas have the same speed.
G. All particles in the gas have no volume.
H. Collisions with the walls of the container are elastic.

Real gases can be liquefied, but ideal gases can’t be, because ideal gases have no intermolecular forces.
So a real gas approximates to an ideal gas at low pressure, moderate temperature and low density.
(At high temperatures gases become plasmas.)

Evidence for the kinetic model of gases

1. Diffusion is the net movement of a substance
from a region of high concentration
to a region of low concentration.

2. Brownian motion is the random motion of large particles suspended in a fluid.

[Link]

Q2. Which cylinder shows the result of the diffusion of

bromine gas and air (bromine is more dense than air)?
Q3. Can the random motion of the oxygen molecules
in the air be described as Brownian motion?
 𝐹 N
Pressure is the normal force per unit area acting on a surface. 𝑝= [ = pascal = Pa]
𝐴 m2

Q4. (i) Is the chair exerting pressure on the student?

(ii) Estimate the force the student exerts on the chair.

Q5. The pressure a gas exerts on a container wall is due to the

A. change in the kinetic energy of the gas molecules as they strike the walls
B. change in momentum of the gas molecules as they strike the walls
C. average potential energy of the gas molecules
D. force of repulsion between the gas molecules

Q6. A cylinder (mass 𝑚) with density 𝜌 rests on a flat surface.

The cross-sectional area is 𝐴 and the height ℎ.
Show that the pressure exerted on the surface is 𝜌ℎ𝑔.

Q7. Find an expression for the pressure exerted on this flat surface. (The cylinder is open at both ends.)

Q8. A glass tube sealed at one end contains a mercury plug.

(i) Outline why the length of the air column changes when flipped upside down.
Suppose the mercury plug has cross-sectional area 𝐴 and mass 𝑚.
If the atmospheric pressure is 𝑃, write an expression for:
(ii) the pressure inside the upright chamber
(iii) the pressure inside the inverted chamber

Q9. At any given instant 108 gas molecules strike the walls of a cube of volume 8 cm3.
There is a pressure of 100 kPa inside the cube.
Find the average force exerted by each molecule on the walls.
A mole of a substance is equal to the number of atoms in 12 g of carbon-12.
𝑚/g
𝑁 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑔𝑎𝑠
𝑛 is the number of moles 𝑛= =
𝑁𝐴 6.02 x 1023
𝑛 𝑀
/ mol / g mol−1
𝑁𝐴 is the Avogadro constant (6.02 x 1023) … the number of atoms in 12g of carbon-12.

𝑚 [grams]
The molar mass (𝑴) of a substance is the mass (in g, not kg) of one mole of the substance. 𝑀 = 𝑛 [moles]

Q10. Molar mass is defined as A. the number of particles in one mole of a substance
B. one twelfth the mass of one atom of carbon-12
C. the mass of one mole of a substance
D. the number of particles in one twelfth of a mole of carbon-12

Q11. Two moles of hydrogen gas (H2 ) has a mass of 4 grams.

Therefore the molar mass of hydrogen gas is
A. 0.5 g mol−1 B. 2 g mol−1 C. 0.5 mol g −1 D. 2 mol g −1

Q12. A cylinder contains 𝑛 grams of a gas that has a molar mass 𝑀.

How many moles of the gas are in the cylinder?

𝑛 𝑀
A. 𝑛 + 𝑀 B. C. D. 𝑛𝑀
𝑀 𝑛

7
Q13. The nuclear notation for lithium-7 is 3 Li.
What is the mass of 1 mol of lithium-7?
A. 10 g B. 7 g C. 4 g D. 3 g

Q14. The approximate number of water molecules (𝑀 = 18 g mol−1) in a glass of water is

A. 1022 B. 1025 C. 1028 D. 1031

Q15. A container holds 20 g of Ne (mass number 20) and also 8 g of He (mass number 4).
What is the ratio of neon atoms to helium atoms?

Q16. A sealed container contains a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen gas.

The ratio mass of an oxygen molecule : mass of a nitrogen molecule is 8:7.
The ratio average kinetic energy of oxygen molecules : average kinetic energy of nitrogen molecules is

A. 1 B. 7:8 C. 8:7 D. dependent on the concentration of each gas.

Q17. Is the mole a derived unit?

 Homework 3.3 Modelling a Gas

Q1. Under what conditions do real gases most closely approximate ideal gases?

Q2. “There are no intermolecular forces between the molecules of an ideal gas.” Explain what this means.

Q3. Ideal gases cannot be liquefied because

A. the molecules have a range of velocities B. molecules have negligible volume
C. molecules obey Newton's laws of motion D. there are no intermolecular forces

Q4. Which of the following is not an assumption of the kinetic theory of gases ?
A. Molecules experience negligible change in momentum during collisions with the container walls.
B. The volume of the molecules is negligible compared with the volume of the gas.
C. The duration of a collision is negligible compared with the time between collisions.
D. Collisions with the container walls cause no change in the average kinetic energy of the molecules.

Q5. (a) What is the value of the Avogadro constant? (What units does it have?)
(b) Oxygen has a molar mass of 8. What are the units of molar mass?
(c) Explain what is meant by a mole.

Q6. Carbon-12 has a relative atomic mass of 12 and lithium-6 has a relative atomic mass of 6.
A sample of 6 g of lithium has twice as many atoms as ___ g of carbon-12.

Q7. How many moles of gas are in a cylinder containing

(i) 3.01 x 1023 molecules? (ii) 6.02 x 1026 molecules?

Q8. How many carbon atoms are in a 12.0 mg diamond is composed of pure carbon (molar mass of 12.0 g)?

Q9. Consider a gas in a cylindrical drum.

(a) What causes the pressure inside the drum?
(b) When the top of the drum is pressed down,
the presure in the drum increases.
𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒
Use the formula 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
to explain why this happens.

Q10. Random molecular motion is also known as ____________ motion.

A. compound B. molecular C. real D. Brownian

Q11. At any given instant 109 gas molecules strike the walls of a cube of volume 2.0 m3 .
There is a pressure of 80 kPa inside the cube.
Estimate the average force exerted by each molecule on the walls.

Q12. A fixed quantity of an ideal gas is compressed at constant temperature. The pressure increases because:
A. are moving faster. B. are colliding more frequently with the container walls.
C. exert greater forces on each other. D. are colliding more frequently with each other.
 Homework 3.3 Modelling a Gas ANSWERS

Q1. High temperature and low pressure. (At low temperature or high pressure gases will start to liquefy.)

Q2. We assume the gravitational and electrostatic forces between the molecules/atoms are small enough
to be ignored. Hence all collisions can be considered to be elastic (no loss of energy).

Q3. D. there are no intermolecular forces

Q4. A. Molecules experience negligible change in momentum during collisions with the container walls.

Q5. (a) 6.02 x 1023 (no units) (b) [Link]−1 (grams per mole)
(c) A mole of a substance is the amount which has the same number of molecules as 12 g of carbon-12.

Q6. 12 g of carbon has the same number of atoms as 6 g of lithium

So 6 g of lithium has twice as many atoms as 6 g of carbon B.

Q7. (a) 3.01 x 1023 molecules = 0.5 mol (b) 6.02 x 1026 molecules = 1000 mol

Q8. For carbon: 1 mole = 12 g so 12 mg = 10−3 moles = 6.02 x 1020 atoms

Q9. (a) Pressure is caused by the (eleastic) collisions of gas molecules with the walls.

(b) Force is the rate of change of momentum. In a smaller container there are more collisions, so more force.
Also pressure is inversely proportional to area, so less area means more pressure.

Q10. D. Brownian

3
Q11. 𝑉 = 2.0 so side-length of cube 𝑠 = √2.0 =1.26 so Surface Area = 6𝑠 2 = 9.52 m2

force force
If pressure = 80 000 Pa = = 9.52 m2 so Force = 76.2 kN
area

This force is supplied by 109 gas molecules, so each molecule supplies 7.6 x 10−4 N

Q12. B. are colliding more frequently with the container walls.