Question

Consider two specimens of ideal gas at the same temperature. Specimen A has the same total mass as specimen B, but the molecules in specimen A have greater molar mass than they do in specimen B. In which specimen is the total kinetic energy of the gas greater? Does your answer depend on the molecular structure of the gases? Why or why not?

Short answer

The total kinetic energy of the gas isgreaterin specimen B

The Answerdoes notdepend on the structure of gasbecausethe total energy is always beproportionalto the number of moles of gas

Step-by-step solution

Step 1:About molar mass of ideal gas

The molecular weight (molar mass) of any gas is the mass of one particle of that gas multiplied by Avogadro's number

Two specimen A and B of an ideal gas at sametemperature.Specimen A has the same total mass M as Specimen B but molecules in specimen A havegreatermolar mass than in specimenB

The number of moles in the specimen are

Determine total kinetic energy of the Two specimens and compare

Solve for total kinetic energy of the gas

total kinetic energy of the gas isproportionalto its amount of moles

Therefore the total kinetic energy of specimen A is less than Specimen B

The Answerdoes notdepend on the structure of gasbecausethe total energy is always beproportionalto the number of moles of gas

Therefore The Answer does not depend on the structure of gas because the total energy is always be proportional to the number of moles of gas