Final answer:
The mean free path of a neon atom is the average distance it travels between collisions and depends on factors like temperature and pressure. To calculate this, the cross-sectional area for collisions and the volume and density of the gas are used in the formula for mean free path.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mean free path of a neon atom is the average distance the atom travels between collisions with other atoms or molecules. Given the complexity of the environment with various atoms and molecules interacting, calculating the exact mean free path of a neon atom requires additional information, such as temperature, pressure, and density of the neon gas, as well as the size of the neon atoms themselves. The formula for the mean free path λ is derived considering the cross-sectional area for collisions of spherical molecules, which is represented as 4πr², where r is the radius of the molecule. Using the equation V/(4πr² N) = λ, where V is the volume, N is the number density of molecules, and r is the effective radius, the mean free path can be calculated if these variables are known.
In the case provided, for methane at a certain temperature and pressure, the mean free path and the effective radius of the methane molecule have been calculated. However, to calculate the mean free path for neon under specific conditions, similar data are required. Typically, under standard conditions, a neon atom at room temperature in the gas phase has a mean free path that is much larger than its physical diameter due to the low density of gas molecules.