Maxwell-Boltzmann speed distribution

[arnesmeets]

Does the Maxwell-Boltzmann speed distribution hold for all ideal gases or just for the mono-atomic ones? If it holds for all gases, why? What happens with the degrees of freedom, don't they change things?? I'm very confused.

 

[quantumdude]

It certainly doensn't hold for all gases. The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution only holds when quantum effects are negligible. When that condition is not satisfied then the difference between bosons and fermions must be taken into account. Hence, the Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac distributions.

 

[arnesmeets]

Does it hold for all ideal gases, even if they are not mono-atomic?