2.1.3

Properties of Gases

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Properties of Gases

All gases tend to have similar properties and behave in similar ways.

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Temperature of gases

  • The higher the temperature of a gas, the higher the kinetic energy of the gas' particles.
    • As you heat a gas, you transfer more kinetic energy to the gas' particles.
    • This increases the speed of the particles.
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Pressure of gases

  • A gas exerts pressure on the walls of its container.
  • There are lots of gas particles colliding with the container each second.
  • When a gas particle collides with the wall of its container, its momentum changes and it bounces back off the wall.
  • This exerts a force on both the particle and the wall.
  • The pressure exerted on the wall is equal to the force (of the ball) per unit area (of the wall being hit).
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Forces

  • The pressure exerted on the wall is equal to the force (of the ball) per unit area (of the wall being hit).
  • Each particle only exerts a small force on the wall of the container, but the combined effect of many particles colliding with the walls of the container produces a large force.
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Absolute zero

  • There is a lowest possible temperature, called absolute zero (−273 °C or 0 K).
  • At absolute zero, particles have their minimum possible kinetic energy; they do not move at all in the particle model.
  • This concept is the basis of the Kelvin temperature scale, where temperature in kelvins is directly proportional to the average kinetic energy of particles.

Jump to other topics

1Motion, Forces & Energy

1.1Physical Quantities & Measurement Techniques

1.2Motion

1.3Mass & Weight

1.4Density

1.5Forces: Effects of Forces

1.6Forces: Turning Effects of Forces

1.7Forces: Centre of Gravity

1.8Momentum

1.9Energy, Work, & Power: Energy

1.10Energy, Work & Power: Work

1.11Energy, Work & Power: Energy Resources

1.12Energy, Work & Power: Power

1.13Pressure

2Thermal Physics

3Waves

4Electricity & Magnetism

4.1Simple Phenomena of Magnetism

4.2Electrical Quantities: Electric Charge

4.3Electrical Quantities: Electric Current

4.4Electromotive Force & Potential Difference

4.5Electrical Quantities: Resistance

4.6Electrical Energy & Electrical Power

4.7Electric Circuits: Circuit Diagrams & Components

4.8Electric Circuits: Series & Parallel Circuits

4.9Electric Circuits: Action & Use

4.10Electrical Safety

4.11Electromagnetic Effects: Electromagnetic Induction

4.12Electromagnetic Effects: The A.C. Generator

4.13Magnetic Effect of a Current

4.14Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor

4.15Electromagnetic Effects: The D.C. Motor

4.16Electromagnetic Effects: The Transformer

5Nuclear Physics

6Space Physics

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