THERMODYNAMICS

Kinetic Theory of Matter

AP Physics Part 2
Terms & Concepts
• Thermal energy: Total kinetic energy of the
particles in a system.
• Thermal contact: Two systems in contact so
that energy can flow from one to another.
• Heat: The flow of energy from one system
(higher energy) to another (lower energy).
• Temperature: A measurement of the average
kinetic energy of the particles in a system.
• Thermal equilibrium: A static state, where
temperatures are equal so there is no heat flow.
Terms & Concepts
• Phase Change: Change from solid to ;iquid,
liquid to gas
• Sensible Heat: Heat added that changes
temperature.
• Latent Heat: Energy for phase change.
• Thermal expansion: When things heat up they
embiggen.
• Law of Heat Exchange: QLOST = QGAINED.
• Heat curves: Substance goes up in temp. while
“sensible” heat is added, constant temp. as
“latent” heat is added to affect phase change.
Kinetic Theory of Matter
• All matter is made of…
• Particles. Tiny paticles,
isually molecules
(occasionally indovidial
atoms).
• Those particles are
constantly...
• In motion. Moving freely in
gas or liquid, vibrating in a
solid.
• Temperature is...
• A measure of the kinetic
energy of the particles.
Kinetic Theory of Matter
• That enormous number?
• We use moles to keep track
of all those particles…
• Mole  Avogadro’s
number of a thing.
• A mole is just a counting
number term, like a dozen.
One dozen is 12 things,
one mole is 6.03x1023
things.
Kinetic Theory of Matter
• A mole is too large a number to use for
normal things. A mole of moles would
be an inconvenient number of moles.
That’s a layer of moles 80km deep
across the surface of the Earth.
• However it’s a great choice for a
counting number to keep track of
molecules.
• A mole is enough particles so that their
mass in grams equals their total
atomic number.
• More specifically, it’s enough carbon-
12 atoms to mass 12 g.
• number of moles: n = N/NA
• N = number of particles,
NA = Avogadro’s number.
Ideal Gas Law
• We use moles as a measure
of how much of a thing that is
made up of particles there
is… independent of its mass,
volume, etc.
• This allows us to use the ideal
gas law to make predictions
about its behavior:
PV = nRT
• P = pressure, V = volume,
n = # moles, R = the universal
gas constant, and T =
temperature.
• SI system: R = 8.31J/mol•K
Ideal Gas Law
PV = nRT
• Why “ideal?”
• Real gasses don’t behave
exactly like this. Real gas
particles do show some
attractive forces, do have some
volume, etc.
• Gasses approximate this IMF (intermolecular forces) affect
the behavior of real gas particles.
behavior, especially at high
temperature and low pressure.
• Real gasses are close to “ideal”
gasses at room temperature
and pressure conditions.
Ideal Gas Law
• You can derive
PV
simpler versions R=
of the ideal gas nT
law from the basic
equation: P1V1 P2V2
=
n1T1 n2T2

P1V1 P2V2
=
T1 T2
Energy of the Particles
• You can calculate the kinetic energy
of any one particles in the gas:
Kavg = (3/2)kBT
• Kavg is the average kinetic energy of
a single particle in good ol’ Joules.
That will be a very small number,
so…
• kB is a very small number,
Boltzmann’s constant,
kB = 1.38x10-23J/K
• And T is in Kelvin
• Boltzmann’s constant is R/NA
Energy of the Particles
• Another formulation:

PV = nRT
• And! kB = R/NA so R =
kBNA… Equation sheet version!

PV = nkBNAT
• And! n = N/NA

PV = (N/NA)kBNAT
PV = NkBT
Example
• What is the average kinetic energy per molecule
of a tank of oxygen gas at 22.0 C?

Kavg = (3/2)kBT …and TK = TC + 273.15°

Kavg = (3/2)(1.38x10-23)(22 + 273.15) = 611x10-23

6.11x10-21
Energy of the Particles
• The total kinetic energy of all
particles in the gas is Kavg times
the number of particles:
Etotal = (3/2)NkBT
• But! kB = R/NA …
Etotal = (3/2)N(R/NA)T
• And! N/NA is the number of moles,
n … so the energy is given by...
Etotal = (3/2)nRT
Example
• Find the total energy in a tank that has 2.50 mol
of helium at 25.0 C.

E = (3/2)nRT …and TK = 298.13K

E = (3/2)(2.5)(8.31)298.15 = 9,290J
Pressure of a Gas
• Gas is made up of little particles.
• The particles are in constant
motion and have kinetic energy.
• When the particles collide with the
wall they exert a force… this force
divided over the area of the wall is
a pressure.
• The collissions of particles with
the walls of a container is
responsibel for the pressure
exerted by a gas.
Pressure of a Gas
• When you blow up a balloon it gets
larger.
• More gas in the balloon means more
particles and more collisions between
the particles and the skin of the balloon.
• More collisions means more force and
more pressure.
• The balloon stretches… it contains
ellastic potential energy. It stretches (F
= kx) until the force it exerts balances
the pressure of the air inside of it.
• Heat up a gas and the same thing
happens: more energy, more pressure,
the system expands (if it can).
Pressure of a Gas
• You can calculate the average
velocity of a particle by using its
average energy and KE = Not on the
(1/2)mv2. equation sheet!
vrms = sqrt(3kBT/m) You may not need
• vrms = “root mean square) it or you may need
velocity (average); m = mass of to derive it!
one particle.
• Using kB = R/NA and
M = mNA …
vrms = sqrt(3RT/M)
• M = molar mass (mass of one
mole•NA)
Example
• What is the average velocity of the particles of
oxygen at 255 K?

v = sqrt(3kBT/m) O2 = 32g/mol

mass of O2 molecule = 0.032kg/NA = 5.316x10-26kg

v = sqrt(3(1.38x10-23)(255K)/(5.316x10-26))

446m/s