Kinetic Theory of Gases - NEET Physics Questions
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Kinetic Theory of Gases

Question 1: moderate

An ideal diatomic gas occupies a volume V1 at a pressure P1 undergoes a process in which the pressure is directly proportional to the volume.
At the end of the process the rms speed of gas molecules has doubled from its initial value. Heat supplied to the gas in the given process is :

1. \[ 7P_{1}V_{1}\]
2. \[ 8P_{1}V_{1} \]
3. \[ 9P_{1}V_{1} \]
4. \[ 10P_{1}V_{1}\]
View Answer

Since the pressure \( P \) is directly proportional to the volume \( V \), we have:

\[
P \propto V \Rightarrow P = kV
\]

where \( k \) is a constant. This process describes a line through the origin on a \( P \)-\( V \) graph, where work \( W \) done by the gas is given by the area under the line:

\[
W = \frac{P_{\text{final}} V_{\text{final}} - P_{\text{initial}} V_{\text{initial}}}{2}
\]

Given that the r.m.s. speed doubles, we know the temperature \( T \) has quadrupled (since \( v_{\text{rms}} \propto \sqrt{T} \)). Therefore:

\[
\frac{T_{\text{final}}}{T_{\text{initial}}} = 4
\]

For an ideal gas, \( PV = nRT \), so if \( T \) quadruples, \( PV \) also quadruples, making \( P_{\text{final}} V_{\text{final}} = 4 P_1 V_1 \).

Using the work formula above:

\[
W = \frac{4 P_1 V_1 - P_1 V_1}{2} = \frac{3 P_1 V_1}{2} = 3 P_1 V_1
\]

The change in internal energy \( \Delta U \) for a diatomic gas (\( C_V = \frac{5}{2}R \)) is:

\[
\Delta U = n C_V \Delta T = \frac{5}{2} (P_1 V_1) \cdot 3 = \frac{15}{2} P_1 V_1 = 7.5 P_1 V_1
\]

Using the first law of thermodynamics \( Q = \Delta U + W \):

\[
Q = 7.5 P_1 V_1 + 3 P_1 V_1 = 9 P_1 V_1
\]

Answer: The heat supplied to the gas is \( 9 P_1 V_1 \).

Question 2: moderate

The speeds of 5 molecules of a gas (in arbitrary units) are as follows :
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The root mean square speed for these molecules is :

1. 2.91
2. 4.00
3. 3.52
4. 4.24
View Answer

The root mean square (r.m.s.) speed \( v_{\text{rms}} \) for \( n \) molecules with speeds \( v_1, v_2, \ldots, v_n \) is calculated by:

\[
v_{\text{rms}} = \sqrt{\frac{v_1^2 + v_2^2 + v_3^2 + \cdots + v_n^2}{n}}
\]

Given speeds are: \( 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 \).

1. Calculate the squares:
\[
2^2 = 4, \quad 3^2 = 9, \quad 4^2 = 16, \quad 5^2 = 25, \quad 6^2 = 36
\]

2. Sum of the squares:
\[
4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + 36 = 90
\]

3. Divide by the number of molecules (5) and take the square root:
\[
v_{\text{rms}} = \sqrt{\frac{90}{5}} = \sqrt{18} \approx 4.24
\]

Thus, the r.m.s. speed is approximately \( 4.24 \).

Question 3: moderate

At room temperature, the r.m.s. speed of the molecules of certain diatomic gas is found to be 1930 m/s. The gas is :

1. H2
2. F2
3. O2
4. Cl2
View Answer

The root mean square (r.m.s.) speed \( v_{\text{rms}} \) of gas molecules is given by the formula:

\[
v_{\text{rms}} = \sqrt{\frac{3 k_B T}{m}}
\]

where:
- \( k_B \) is the Boltzmann constant,
- \( T \) is the temperature (assumed to be room temperature here),
- \( m \) is the mass of one molecule of the gas.

Rearranging to find \( m \):

\[
m = \frac{3 k_B T}{v_{\text{rms}}^2}
\]

For a diatomic gas like \( \text{H}_2 \), using the given \( v_{\text{rms}} = 1930 \, \text{m/s} \), we calculate that this speed corresponds to the molecular mass of hydrogen (\( \text{H}_2 \)). Therefore, the gas is identified as \( \text{H}_2 \).

Question 4: moderate

A mixture of n1 moles of monoatomic gas and n2 moles of diatomic gas has

\[ \frac{C_{p}}{C_{v}}=\gamma=1.5 \], then :

1. n1 = 2n2
2. 2n1 = 3n2
3. n1 = n2
4. n1 = 5n2
View Answer

For a mixture of \( n_1 \) moles of a monatomic gas and \( n_2 \) moles of a diatomic gas, the ratio \( \gamma = \frac{C_p}{C_v} \) of the mixture is given by:

\[
\gamma = \frac{\text{Total } C_p}{\text{Total } C_v}
\]

1. Molar heat capacities:
- For a monatomic gas: \( C_{v, \text{mono}} = \frac{3}{2} R \) and \( C_{p, \text{mono}} = \frac{5}{2} R \).
- For a diatomic gas: \( C_{v, \text{di}} = \frac{5}{2} R \) and \( C_{p, \text{di}} = \frac{7}{2} R \).

2. Total heat capacities:
- Total \( C_v = n_1 \cdot \frac{3}{2} R + n_2 \cdot \frac{5}{2} R \).
- Total \( C_p = n_1 \cdot \frac{5}{2} R + n_2 \cdot \frac{7}{2} R \).

3. Given \( \gamma = 1.5 \):

\[
\frac{C_p}{C_v} = \frac{n_1 \cdot \frac{5}{2} R + n_2 \cdot \frac{7}{2} R}{n_1 \cdot \frac{3}{2} R + n_2 \cdot \frac{5}{2} R} = 1.5
\]

4. Simplify by canceling \( R \) and multiplying through by 2:

\[
\frac{5n_1 + 7n_2}{3n_1 + 5n_2} = 1.5
\]

5. Cross-multiply to solve for \( n_1 \) in terms of \( n_2 \):

\[
5n_1 + 7n_2 = 1.5 (3n_1 + 5n_2)
\]

\[
5n_1 + 7n_2 = 4.5n_1 + 7.5n_2
\]

6. Rearrange terms:

\[
0.5n_1 = 0.5n_2
\]

\[
n_1 = n_2
\]

Question 5: moderate

N2 molecules is 14 times heavier than a H2 molecule. At what temperature will the rms speed of H2 molecules be equal to that of N2 molecule at 27° C :

1. 50° C
2. 40° C
3. 87° C
4. 21.4 K
View Answer

To have the same rms speed for \(\text{H}_2\) and \(\text{N}_2\), we use the formula for rms speed:

\[
v_{\text{rms}} = \sqrt{\frac{3k_B T}{m}}
\]

Since the rms speeds are equal, we can set up the equation:

\[
\sqrt{\frac{3k_B T_{\text{H}_2}}{m_{\text{H}_2}}} = \sqrt{\frac{3k_B T_{\text{N}_2}}{m_{\text{N}_2}}}
\]

Square both sides and simplify:

\[
\frac{T_{\text{H}_2}}{m_{\text{H}_2}} = \frac{T_{\text{N}_2}}{m_{\text{N}_2}}
\]

Since \(\text{N}_2\) is 14 times heavier than \(\text{H}_2\), we have \( m_{\text{N}_2} = 14 \, m_{\text{H}_2} \) and \( T_{\text{N}_2} = 27^\circ \text{C} = 300 \, \text{K} \).

Now solve for \( T_{\text{H}_2} \):

\[
T_{\text{H}_2} = \frac{T_{\text{N}_2}}{14} = \frac{300}{14} \approx 21.4 \, \text{K}
\]

So, the temperature at which \(\text{H}_2\) has the same rms speed as \(\text{N}_2\) at 27°C is approximately \( 21.4 \, \text{K} \).

Question 6: moderate

A mixture of 2 moles of helium gas (atomic mass = 4 amu) and 1 mole of argon gas (atomic mass = 40 amu) is kept at 300 K in a container. The ratio of the rms speeds \( \left( \frac{v_{rms}(helium)}{v_{rms}\left( argon \right)} \right) \) is:

1. 0.32
2. 0.45
3. 2.24
4. 3.16
View Answer

The root mean square (rms) speed \( v_{\text{rms}} \) of a gas is given by:

\[
v_{\text{rms}} = \sqrt{\frac{3RT}{M}}
\]

where \( M \) is the molar mass.

For helium (\( M = 4 \, \text{g/mol} \)) and argon (\( M = 40 \, \text{g/mol} \)) at the same temperature, the ratio of their rms speeds is:

\[
\frac{v_{\text{rms}(\text{He})}}{v_{\text{rms}(\text{Ar})}} = \sqrt{\frac{M_{\text{Ar}}}{M_{\text{He}}}} = \sqrt{\frac{40}{4}} = \sqrt{10} \approx 3.16
\]

Thus, the ratio \( \frac{v_{\text{rms}(\text{He})}}{v_{\text{rms}(\text{Ar})}} \) is approximately 3.16.

Question 7: moderate

A gas mixture consists of 2 moles of oxygen and 4 moles of argon at temperature T. Neglecting all vibrational modes the total internal energy of the system is :

1. 4 RT
2. 15 RT
3. 9 RT
4. 11 RT
View Answer

For a gas mixture of oxygen (\(\text{O}_2\)) and argon (\(\text{Ar}\)):

1. **Oxygen (\(\text{O}_2\))** is diatomic, so its internal energy per mole is:
\[
U_{\text{O}_2} = \frac{5}{2} RT
\]
For 2 moles, \( U_{\text{O}_2} = 2 \times \frac{5}{2} RT = 5 RT \).

2. **Argon (\(\text{Ar}\))** is monatomic, so its internal energy per mole is:
\[
U_{\text{Ar}} = \frac{3}{2} RT
\]
For 4 moles, \( U_{\text{Ar}} = 4 \times \frac{3}{2} RT = 6 RT \).

3. **Total internal energy**:
\[
U_{\text{total}} = U_{\text{O}_2} + U_{\text{Ar}} = 5 RT + 6 RT = 11 RT
\]

So, the total internal energy of the system is \( 11 RT \).

Question 8: moderate

At what temperature, the mean kinetic energy of O2 will be the same as that of H2 molecules at – 73°C ?

1. 127°C
2. 527°C
3. -73°C
4. -173°C
View Answer

The mean kinetic energy of gas molecules depends only on temperature and is given by:

\[
\text{KE} = \frac{3}{2} k_B T
\]

where \( T \) is the temperature in Kelvin, and \( k_B \) is Boltzmann's constant.

Since we want the mean kinetic energy of \(\text{O}_2\) to equal that of \(\text{H}_2\) at \( -73^\circ \text{C} \):

1. Convert \(-73^\circ \text{C}\) to Kelvin:
\[
T_{\text{H}_2} = -73 + 273 = 200 \, \text{K}
\]

2. Since kinetic energy depends only on temperature, set the temperature \( T_{\text{O}_2} = T_{\text{H}_2} = 200 \, \text{K} \).

Therefore, the temperature at which \(\text{O}_2\) has the same mean kinetic energy as \(\text{H}_2\) at \(-73^\circ \text{C}\) is \(200 \, \text{K}\).

Question 9: moderate

During an experiment an ideal gas obeys an \( PV^{\frac{1}{2}}=constant \) . The initial condition of temperature and volume are T and V. When it expand to volume 4V, than its temperature will be :

1. T
2. 2T
3. √2 T
4. 4T
View Answer

For an ideal gas obeying \( PV^{\frac{1}{2}} = \text{constant} \):

1. Use the ideal gas law: \( PV = nRT \), so \( P = \frac{nRT}{V} \).
2. Substitute \( P = \frac{nRT}{V} \) in \( PV^{\frac{1}{2}} = \text{constant} \):

\[
\frac{nRT}{V} \cdot V^{\frac{1}{2}} = \text{constant} \Rightarrow nRT \cdot V^{-\frac{1}{2}} = \text{constant}
\]

3. At initial state, \( T = T \) and \( V = V \):

\[
T V^{-\frac{1}{2}} = \text{constant}
\]

4. When \( V \) changes to \( 4V \):

\[
T' (4V)^{-\frac{1}{2}} = T V^{-\frac{1}{2}}
\]

5. Simplify:

\[
T' \cdot \frac{1}{2} = T \Rightarrow T' = 2T
\]

So, the final temperature \( T' = 2T \).