Kinetic theory: pressure from molecular collisions

Hundreds of gas molecules bounce in a box with a movable piston. Measure pressure from wall impacts, verify PV = NkT, see v_rms = √(3kT/m) and the Maxwell speed distribution emerge.

About this experiment

What you do in the lab

Change the controls and watch the physics behave in real time in 3D. Live readouts and graphs show the numbers behind it, and the Learn tab has the theory, procedure, observations and viva questions. Works on a phone or a laptop, in English and Hindi.

Topics: kinetic theory · ideal gas · pressure · temperature · Maxwell distribution · rms speed

More from this chapter

• Brownian motion and the Einstein relation
• Degrees of freedom and equipartition of energy
• Boyle's, Charles' and Gay-Lussac's law with molecules
• Maxwell speed distribution
• Mean free path and brownian motion