Explaining Avogadro's Law using kinetic theory

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

This discussion provides a detailed kinetic theory explanation of Avogadro's Law, emphasizing that at the same temperature and pressure, equal volumes of ideal gases contain the same number of molecules. The conversation highlights the relationship between molecular mass and mean kinetic energy, referencing the pressure formula pV = (1/3) Nm. The participants clarify that Avogadro's Law applies to ideal gases, which behave like point-like particles with ideal collisions. The justification for equal mean kinetic energy among gases at the same temperature is supported by Jeans' work in "The Kinetic Theory of Gases."

PREREQUISITES
  • Kinetic theory of gases
  • Understanding of ideal gas behavior
  • Familiarity with pressure-volume relationships
  • Basic knowledge of molecular kinetic energy
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of the ideal gas law
  • Explore Jeans' "The Kinetic Theory of Gases" for deeper insights
  • Learn about the implications of mean kinetic energy in gas behavior
  • Investigate real gas behavior and deviations from ideality
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, chemistry enthusiasts, and educators seeking to understand or teach the principles of gas laws and kinetic theory.

Bipolarity
Messages
773
Reaction score
2
So far I have found a kinetic-theory explanation of the Boyle's Law, Charle's Law, and Pressure-Temperature Law. For example, for the pressure-temperature law: increasing the temperature of a gas while holding the volume constant causes the gas molecules to collide more frequently with the container of the gas, resulting in increased pressure.

Is there an explanation of the Avogadro's Law that uses the kinetic theory?

BiP
 
Physics news on Phys.org
i think avogadro's law relies on the fact that microscopically gas particles are like tiny billiard balls, aside from the mass difference they have essentially the same properties and are ideal (ideal collisions, no interaction between molecules etc)
 
bigerst said:
i think avogadro's law relies on the fact that microscopically gas particles are like tiny billiard balls, aside from the mass difference they have essentially the same properties and are ideal (ideal collisions, no interaction between molecules etc)

I don't see how the analogy is relevant here.

BiP
 
Avogadro's law is true for ideal gases (and those behave like a collection of point-like billard balls), and an approximation for gases which are nearly ideal.
What do you want to explain? Why some gases are nearly ideal?
 
In the case of the pressure law, it's not just that the more frequent hits increase the pressure, but that, on average each hit imparts a greater impulse. That's why \overline{c^2}, with the 'squared', appears in the kinetic theory formula for pressure:
pV = \frac{1}{3} Nm\overline{c^2}.

Now let's look at Avogadro. We need the additional input that molecules of all ideal gases at the same temperature have the same mean KE of translational motion, \frac{1}{2}m \overline{c^2}. [Jeans, in The kinetic Theory of Gases has a nice justification for this, using the fact that on average there must be no energy exchange in collisions between gas molecules and wall molecules if the gas is in equilibrium with its container walls.]

So for any two gases at the same temperature m_1\overline{c_1^2} = m_2\overline{c_2^2}.

So, using the pressure formula above:
\frac{p_1V_1}{N_1} = \frac{p_2V_2}{N_2}

This formula applies for equal temperatures, but if we also impose the conditions that p_1=p_2 and V_1=V_2, then N_1=N_2.

So at the same temperature and pressure, equal volumes of gases contain the same number of molecules!

[You can reach the same conclusion using \frac{1}{2}m \overline{c^2}=\frac{3}{2}kT, but this isn't quite as economical because the argument above does not require a specific relationship between temperature and mean KE, merely a knowledge that if two gases have the same mean molecular KE, their temperatures are the same, and the converse.]
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 41 ·
2
Replies
41
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
21K