Reason for: Temperature is proportional to atomic motio

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relationship between temperature and atomic motion, exploring the reasoning behind the assertion that increasing temperature leads to increased atomic motion. Participants examine this concept from various angles, including theoretical explanations and analogies.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the conclusion that increasing temperature increases atomic motion, questioning the reasoning behind it.
  • Another participant reiterates the conservation of energy argument, suggesting that energy supplied by temperature increase corresponds to the kinetic energy of particles, but finds this explanation unsatisfactory.
  • A different participant proposes an analogy involving particles connected by springs to explain temperature in terms of how fast those particles bounce, suggesting a more visual or mechanical understanding of the concept.
  • One participant acknowledges the validity of the original question and discusses the correlation between temperature and gas pressure, referencing kinetic theory and the behavior of gas molecules, but does not assert causation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the explanation of the relationship between temperature and atomic motion. There are multiple viewpoints and some participants express uncertainty or seek further clarification.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the definitions of temperature and kinetic energy are not explicitly stated, and the discussion includes varying levels of comfort with the underlying physics concepts.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in the foundational concepts of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and the relationship between temperature and molecular motion may find this discussion relevant.

mooncrater
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Yeah... I know many of you people might be laughing but still I don't understand how can we simply reach the conclusion that increasing temperature increases the atomic motion.
Consider this :
When we push something, it moves (don't over think about this one) when we apply torque on something, it rotates, though it's generally accepted but still its absurd to me that increasing temperature increases the atomic motion.
One may say that:
" By conservation of energy, we can say that the energy supplied by the increase in temperature equals to the kinetic energy of the particles "
But this doesn't just satisfy me. Does anyone else has another explanation?
 
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mooncrater said:
One may say that:
" By conservation of energy, we can say that the energy supplied by the increase in temperature equals to the kinetic energy of the particles "
But this doesn't just satisfy me. Does anyone else has another explanation?
Which part of this explanation bothers you ?
 
I have an explanation but you have to start with matter consisting of three little particles connected by springs and then think of temperature in a purely analogous manner of how fast those particles bounce on the springs.
 
There's nothing laughable about your question. One's understanding of temperature advances in stages as one studies Physics. Are you comfortable with (i) the experimental fact that (for a fixed mass of gas in a container of constant volume) the gas pressure increases with temperature (as read by an ordinary thermometer) (ii) the kinetic theory, including the idea that gas pressure is caused by the impact of gas molecules with the container wall? If so, it's difficult to avoid the inference that an increased temperature is correlated with increased speed (and therefore increased mean kinetic energy) of the gas molecules. Note that I don't say that the rise in temperature causes the gas molecules to have increased mean KE, just that there is a corrrelation.

Has this helped?
 
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