1 In a sample of gas at room temperature, five atoms have the following speeds:

1.32 × 103 m s–1

1.50 × 103 m s–1
1.46 × 103 m s–1
1.28 × 103 m s–1
1.64 × 103 m s–1.

For these five atoms, calculate, to three significant figures,

(a) the mean speed,

mean speed = ................................................. m s–1 [1]

(b) the mean-square speed,

mean-square speed = ................................................ m2 s–2 [2]

(c) the root-mean-square speed.

root-mean-square speed = ................................................. m s–1 [1]

2 (a) State what is meant by an ideal gas.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(b) The mean-square speed of the atoms of a fixed mass of an ideal gas at 32 °C is 1.9 × 106 m2 s–2.

The gas is heated at constant volume to a temperature of 80 °C.

Determine

(i) the rise, in kelvin, of the temperature of the gas,

temperature rise = ...................................................... K [1]

(ii) the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) speed of the atoms at 80 °C.

r.m.s. speed = ................................................ m s–1 [3]

3 (a) An ideal gas is said to consist of molecules that are hard elastic identical spheres.

State two further assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases.

1. ..............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

2. ..............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) The number of molecules per unit volume in an ideal gas is n.

If it is assumed that all the molecules are moving with speed v, the pressure p exerted by the
gas on the walls of the vessel is given by

p = 13 nmv 2

where m is the mass of one molecule.

Explain the reasoning by which this expression is modified to give the formula

p = 13 nm<c 2>.

...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) The density of an ideal gas is 1.2 kg m−3 at a pressure of 1.0 × 105 Pa and a temperature
of 27 °C.

(i) Calculate the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) speed of the molecules of the gas at 27 °C.

r.m.s. speed = ................................................. m s−1 [3]

(ii) Calculate the mean-square speed of the molecules at 207 °C.

mean-square speed = ............................................. m2 s−2 [2]

4 (a) An ideal gas is assumed to consist of atoms or molecules that behave as hard, identical
spheres that are in continuous motion and undergo elastic collisions.

State two further assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases.

1. ..............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

2. ..............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Helium-4 ( 42He) may be assumed to be an ideal gas.

(i) Show that the mass of one atom of helium-4 is 6.6 × 10−24 g.

[1]

(ii) The mean kinetic energy EK of an atom of an ideal gas is given by the expression

EK = 32 kT.

Calculate the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) speed of a helium-4 atom at a temperature of

27 °C.

r.m.s. speed = ............................................... m s−1 [3]

[Total: 6]
5 (a) State what is meant by

(i) the Avogadro constant NA,

...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) the mole.

...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) A container has a volume of 1.8 × 104 cm3.

The ideal gas in the container has a pressure of 2.0 × 107 Pa at a temperature of 17 °C.

Show that the amount of gas in the cylinder is 150 mol.

[1]

(c) Gas molecules leak from the container in (b) at a constant rate of 1.5 × 1019 s−1.
The temperature remains at 17 °C.
In a time t, the amount of gas in the container is found to be reduced by 5.0%.

Calculate

(i) the pressure of the gas after the time t,

pressure = ................................................... Pa [2]

(ii) the time t.

t = ....................................................... s [3]

[Total: 9]
6 (a) An ideal gas is assumed to consist of atoms or molecules that behave as hard, identical
spheres that are in continuous motion and undergo elastic collisions.

State two further assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases.

1. ..............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

2. ..............................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Helium-4 ( 42He) may be assumed to be an ideal gas.

(i) Show that the mass of one atom of helium-4 is 6.6 × 10−24 g.

[1]

(ii) The mean kinetic energy EK of an atom of an ideal gas is given by the expression

EK = 32 kT.

Calculate the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) speed of a helium-4 atom at a temperature of

27 °C.

r.m.s. speed = ............................................... m s−1 [3]

[Total: 6]
7 An ideal gas initially has pressure 1.0 × 105 Pa, volume 4.0 × 10−4 m3 and temperature 300 K, as
illustrated in Fig. 2.1.

initial state final state

1.0 × 105 Pa 5.0 × 105 Pa

4.0 × 10–4 m3 4.0 × 10–4 m3
300 K T

Fig. 2.1

A change in energy of the gas of 240 J results in an increase of pressure to a final value of
5.0 × 105 Pa at constant volume.
The thermodynamic temperature becomes T.

(a) Calculate

(i) the temperature T,

T = ..................................................... K [2]

(ii) the amount of gas.

amount = .................................................. mol [2]

8 (a) The equation of state for an ideal gas of volume V at pressure p is

pV = nRT

where R is the molar gas constant.

State what is meant by

(i) the symbol n,

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) the symbol T.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) An ideal gas is held in a container of volume 2.4 × 103 cm3 at pressure 4.9 × 105 Pa.
The temperature of the gas is 100 °C.

Show that the number of molecules of the gas in the container is 2.3 × 1023.

[3]

(c) Use data from (b) to estimate the mean distance between molecules in the gas.

mean distance = .................................................... cm [3]

[Total: 8]
9 (a) The pressure p and volume V of an ideal gas are related to the density ρ of the gas by the
expression
1
p = ρ  〈c   2〉.
3
(i) State what is meant by the symbol 〈c   2〉.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) Use the expression to show that the mean kinetic energy EK of a gas molecule is given
by
3
EK = kT
2
where k is the Boltzmann constant and T is the thermodynamic temperature.

[3]

(b) (i) An ideal gas containing 1.0 mol of molecules is heated at constant volume.
Use the expression in (a)(ii) to show that the thermal energy required to raise the
3
temperature of the gas by 1.0 K has a value of R, where R is the molar gas constant.
2

[3]
10 (a) Use one of the assumptions of the kinetic theory of gases to explain why the potential
energy of the molecules of an ideal gas is zero.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) The average translational kinetic energy EK of a molecule of an ideal gas is given by the
expression

1 3
EK = m 〈c 2〉 = kT
2 2
where m is the mass of a molecule and k is the Boltzmann constant.

State the meaning of the symbol

(i) 〈c 2〉,

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) T.

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) A cylinder of constant volume 4.7 × 104 cm3 contains an ideal gas at pressure 2.6 × 105 Pa
and temperature 173 °C.

The gas is heated. The thermal energy transferred to the gas is 2900 J. The final temperature
and pressure of the gas are T and p, as illustrated in Fig. 2.1.

4.7 × 104 cm3 2900 J 4.7 × 104 cm3

2.6 × 105 Pa p
173 °C T

Fig. 2.1

(i) Calculate

1. the number N of molecules in the cylinder,

N = ...........................................................[3]
 2. the increase in average kinetic energy of a molecule during the heating process.

increase = ....................................................... J [1]

(ii) Use your answer in (i) part 2 to determine the final temperature T, in kelvin, of the gas in
the cylinder.

T = ....................................................... K [3]

[Total: 10]
11 (a) State what is meant by an ideal gas.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(b) An ideal gas comprised of single atoms is contained in a cylinder and has a volume of
1.84 × 10–2 m3 at a pressure of 2.12 × 107 Pa.
The mass of gas in the cylinder is 3.20 kg.

(i) Determine, to three significant figures, the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) speed of the atoms
of the gas.

r.m.s. speed = ..................................................m s–1 [3]

 (ii) The temperature of the gas in the cylinder is 22 °C.

Determine, to three significant figures,

1. the amount, in mol, of the gas,

amount = ................................................... mol [2]

2. the mass of one atom of the gas.

mass = ..................................................... kg [2]

(c) Use your answer in (b)(ii) part 2 to determine the nucleon number A of an atom of the gas.

A = .......................................................... [1]

[Total: 10]