Stable Bonds at Room Temperature

[PeachBanana]

Homework Statement

We know that the average kinetic energy of an ideal gas atom or molecule at Kelvin temperature T is (3/2)kbT. For what temperature T_He does the average kinetic energy of an ideal gas atom or molecule equal the bond energy of the van der Waals bond in He_2 7.9*10^-4 ev?

Homework Equations

(3/2) kb * T

The Attempt at a Solution

7.9*10^-4 ev * 1.602*10^-19 J = 1.265*10^-22 J

(3/2) * kb * 298 K = 1.265*10^-22 J

kb = 2.829*10^-25 J

The answer asks for a temperature and I have an energy. I was really unsure about this one.

 

[TSny]

Hello. kb stands for "Boltzmann's constant" and has a value that you can find in your text. Looks like you assumed room temperature, but the temperature is what you want to determine.