Final answer:
The translational kinetic energy in a system of particles can be found using the temperature and the Boltzmann constant in the equation KE = (3/2)kT.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the amount of translational kinetic energy in a system of particles, you can often use the temperature of the system.
The relationship between translational kinetic energy and temperature is given by the equation:
KE = (3/2)kT
where
k is the Boltzmann constant (1.38 × 10-23 J/K)
T is the temperature in Kelvin
If you're given a temperature, you can substitute it into this equation to find the average translational kinetic energy of the particles in the system.
For example, at room temperature, which is approximately 293 K, the average translational kinetic energy of a particle would be:
KE = (3/2)kT = (3/2)(1.38 × 10-23 J/K)(293 K)
This equation would yield an average translational kinetic energy of 6.07 × 10-21 J per particle.