Thermal Physics - NEET Physics Questions
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Thermal Physics

Question 401: moderate

Three containers of the same volume contain three different gases. The masses of the molecules are $m_1$, $m_2$ and $m_3$ and the number of molecules in their respective containers are $N_1$, $N_2$ and $N_3$. The gas pressure in the containers are $P_1$, $P_2$ and $P_3$ respectively. All the gases are now mixed and put in one of these containers. The pressure $P$ of the mixture will be: (1991)

1. $P < (P_1 + P_2 + P_3)$
2. $P = \frac{P_1 + P_2 + P_3}{3}$
3. $P = P_1 + P_2 + P_3$
4. $P > (P_1 + P_2 + P_3)$
View Answer

According to Dalton's law of partial pressures, the total pressure of a mixture of non-reacting gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of individual gases. Thus, $P = P_1 + P_2 + P_3$.

Question 402: moderate

According to kinetic theory of gases, at absolute zero of temperature: (1990)

1. Water freezes
2. Liquid helium freezes
3. Molecular motion stops
4. Liquid hydrogen freezes
View Answer

The kinetic energy of gas molecules is directly proportional to absolute temperature ($E = \frac{3}{2}kT$). At absolute zero ($T = 0\text{ K}$), the kinetic energy is zero, meaning molecular motion stops.

Question 403: moderate

Two containers A and B are partly filled with water and closed. The volume of A is twice that of B and it contains half the amount of water in B. If both are at the same temperature, the water vapour in the containers will have pressure in the ratio of: (1988)

1. 1 : 2
2. 1 : 1
3. 2 : 1
4. 4 : 1
View Answer

Vapour pressure of a liquid depends only on the nature of the liquid and its temperature. It is independent of the amount of liquid or the volume of the container. Since both are at the same temperature, the vapour pressure will be the same, so the ratio is 1:1.

Question 404: moderate

At what temperature will the rms speed of oxygen molecules become just sufficient for escaping from the Earth’s atmosphere? (Given: Mass of oxygen molecule ($m$) = $2.76 \times 10^{-26}\text{ kg}$, Boltzmann’s constant $k_B = 1.38 \times 10^{-23}\text{ J K}^{-1}$) (2018)

1. $5.016 \times 10^4\text{ K}$
2. $8.360 \times 10^4\text{ K}$
3. $2.508 \times 10^4\text{ K}$
4. $1.254 \times 10^4\text{ K}$
View Answer

Escape velocity $v_e = 11.2\text{ km/s} = 11200\text{ m/s}$. RMS speed $v_{rms} = \sqrt{\frac{3k_BT}{m}}$. Equating them: $11200 = \sqrt{\frac{3 \times 1.38 \times 10^{-23} \times T}{2.76 \times 10^{-26}}}$. Solving for $T$ gives $T = 8.360 \times 10^4\text{ K}$.

Question 405: easy

The molecules of a given mass of a gas have r.m.s velocity of $200\text{ ms}^{-1}$ at $27^{\circ}\text{C}$ and $1.0 \times 10^5\text{ Nm}^{-2}$ pressure. When the temperature and pressure of the gas are respectively, $127^{\circ}\text{C}$ and $0.05 \times 10^5\text{ Nm}^{-2}$, the r.m.s. velocity of its molecules in $\text{ms}^{-1}$ is: (2016 – I)

1. $100\sqrt{2}$
2. $\frac{400}{\sqrt{3}}$
3. $\frac{100\sqrt{2}}{3}$
4. $\frac{100}{3}$
View Answer

RMS velocity depends only on temperature: $v_{rms} \propto \sqrt{T}$. Let $v_1$ and $v_2$ be rms speeds at $T_1 = 27^{\circ}\text{C} = 300\text{ K}$ and $T_2 = 127^{\circ}\text{C} = 400\text{ K}$. $\frac{v_2}{v_1} = \sqrt{\frac{T_2}{T_1}} = \sqrt{\frac{400}{300}}$. So $v_2 = 200 \times \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{400}{\sqrt{3}}\text{ ms}^{-1}$.

Question 406: easy

The average thermal energy for a mono-atomic gas is: ($k_B$ is Boltzmann constant and T is absolute temperature) (2020)

1. $\frac{3}{2}k_BT$
2. $\frac{5}{2}k_BT$
3. $\frac{7}{2}k_BT$
4. $\frac{1}{2}k_BT$
View Answer

A monoatomic gas molecule has 3 degrees of freedom (translational). By the law of equipartition of energy, energy per degree of freedom is $\frac{1}{2}k_BT$. Total average thermal energy = $3 \times \frac{1}{2}k_BT = \frac{3}{2}k_BT$.

Question 407: moderate

A gas mixture consists of 2 moles of $O_2$ and 4 moles of $Ar$ at temperature T. Neglecting all vibrational modes, the total internal energy of the system is: (2017-Delhi)

1. $15\text{ RT}$
2. $9\text{ RT}$
3. $11\text{ RT}$
4. $4\text{ RT}$
View Answer

$O_2$ is diatomic ($f=5$), $U_1 = n_1\frac{f_1}{2}RT = 2 \times \frac{5}{2}RT = 5RT$. Ar is monoatomic ($f=3$), $U_2 = n_2\frac{f_2}{2}RT = 4 \times \frac{3}{2}RT = 6RT$. Total energy $U = U_1 + U_2 = 5RT + 6RT = 11RT$.

Question 408: moderate

$4.0 \text{ g}$ of a gas occupies $22.4 \text{ litres}$ at NTP. The specific heat capacity of the gas at constant volume is $5.0 \text{ JK}^{-1}\text{mol}^{-1}$. If the speed of sound in this gas at NTP is $952 \text{ ms}^{-1}$, then the heat capacity at constant pressure is (Take gas constant $R = 8.3 \text{ J/mol K}$): (2015 Re)

1. $8.5 \text{ J/K mol}$
2. $8.0 \text{ J/K mol}$
3. $7.5 \text{ J/K mol}$
4. $7.0 \text{ J/K mol}$
View Answer

The density $\rho = \frac{4 \times 10^{-3} \text{ kg}}{22.4 \times 10^{-3} \text{ m}^3}$. Using $v = \sqrt{\frac{\gamma P}{\rho}}$, we get $952 = \sqrt{\frac{\gamma \times 1.013 \times 10^5}{4/22.4}}$, yielding $\gamma \approx 1.6$. Since $\gamma = \frac{C_p}{C_v}$, $C_p = 1.6 \times 5.0 = 8.0 \text{ J K}^{-1} \text{mol}^{-1}$.

Question 409: moderate

The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of $1 \text{ g}$ of Helium at NTP, from $T_1 \text{ K}$ to $T_2 \text{ K}$ is: (2013)

1. $\frac{3}{4} N_A k_B \left(\frac{T_2}{T_1}\right)$
2. $\frac{3}{8} N_A k_B (T_2 - T_1)$
3. $\frac{3}{2} N_A k_B (T_2 - T_1)$
4. $\frac{3}{4} N_A k_B (T_2 - T_1)$
View Answer

Helium is a monoatomic gas ($C_v = \frac{3}{2}R$). The number of moles in $1 \text{ g}$ is $n = \frac{1}{4}$. The heat required is $Q = n C_v \Delta T = \frac{1}{4} \left(\frac{3}{2}R\right)(T_2 - T_1) = \frac{3}{8} N_A k_B (T_2 - T_1)$.

Question 410: moderate

If $C_p$ and $C_v$ denote the specific heats (per unit mass) of an ideal gas of molecular weight $M$ then: (2010 Mains)

1. $C_p - C_v = R/M^2$
2. $C_p - C_v = R$
3. $C_p - C_v = MR$
4. $C_p - C_v = \frac{R}{M}$
View Answer

Mayer's relation for molar heat capacities is $C_P - C_V = R$. Since molar heat capacity is related to specific heat capacity by $C = Mc$, we have $M C_p - M C_v = R$, which gives $C_p - C_v = \frac{R}{M}$.