Kinetic Theory of Gases

L²Cc

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
1) A container is filled with a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. What is the ratio of the rms speed of oxygen molecules to that of a notrigen molecules? (molar mass of oxygen = 32 g/mol; molar mass of nitrogen = 28 g/mol)

2) By what factor does the rms speed of neon molecules increase if their temperature increased by a factor of 4?

2. Relevant equations

rms= squared, mean, root.

1/2mv²=3/2KT where K = 1.83 x 10^-23 (Boltzmann's constant)
average velocity vectors of molecules = 0

3. The attempt at a solution

I'm completely clueless as to how to answer this question.

Dick

(1/2)*m_O*v_O^2=(1/2)*m_N*v_N^2=(3/2)*k*T. Manipulate this to get a ratio of v_O to v_N. I.e. solve for v_O/v_N. Relatively the same approach for 2).

L²Cc

I don't see how you can get rid of the masses and the other variables if they're not constants. The instructions give the molar masses of the gases which are obviously not the same. So, we can't cancel them out when manipulating the equations. May I ask what do you get as an answer?

Dick

If I divide one expression by the other I get (m_O/m_N)*(v_O/v_N)^2=1. Does that help you to see where to go?

L²Cc

Oh I see thank you, I got it. 0.935 :).