Question

What are the five basic postulates of kinetic-molecular theory?

1) Particles of a gas are in rapid, constant motion and move in straight lines.
2) The particles of a gas are tiny compared with the distances between them.
3) Because the particles of a gas are so far apart, there is very little attraction between them.
4) Particles of a gas collide with one another. Energy is conserved in these collisions; energy lost by one particle is gained by the other.
5) Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the gas particles.

Answer 1

The five basic postulates of the kinetic-molecular theory of gases are: particles in a gas are in rapid, constant motion; the particles are tiny compared to the distances between them; there is little attraction between gas particles; particles collide with one another in elastic collisions; and temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of gas particles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The kinetic-molecular theory of gases is based on five basic postulates:

1. Particles in a gas are in constant, rapid motion in straight lines. This motion is random and the particles move until they collide with another particle or with the container walls.
2. Gas particles are tiny compared to the distances between them. The majority of the volume occupied by a gas is empty space.
3. There is very little attraction between gas particles due to their large separation. In fact, the assumption is made that gas particles have no attractive or repulsive forces between them.
4. Gas particles collide with one another and these collisions are elastic. This means that there is no loss of kinetic energy during collisions, although the direction and speed of the particles may change.
5. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of gas particles. As temperature increases, the average speed and kinetic energy of gas particles increase.