Chemistry Gases UHS 2023
PMDC Verified Question 19 of 65
The process of heat flow between hotter and colder gases remains continued until all the molecules have equal:
A
Average translational kinetic energy
B
Average rotational kinetic energy
C
Average translational potential energy
D
Average vibrational kinetic energy
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option A: Average translational kinetic energy
Concept:

Heat transfer between two objects occurs due to a temperature gradient and ceases when thermal equilibrium is reached (temperatures are equal). Temperature is a direct macroscopic measurement of average translational kinetic energy.

Solution:

  • The Kinetic Molecular Theory defines the absolute temperature of a gas as directly proportional to the average translational kinetic energy (\( E_k = \frac{3}{2}kT \)) of its molecules.


  • When a hot gas (high translational KE) interacts with a cold gas (low translational KE), energy is transferred via molecular collisions.


  • This flow of heat continues until the average translational kinetic energies of both sets of gas molecules become perfectly equal, meaning their temperatures are now identical.


Why other options are incorrect:

  • Options B & D: While molecules do have rotational and vibrational modes of energy, classical temperature reading—and therefore thermal equilibrium—is fundamentally governed by the translational motion of the molecules.
  • Option C: Ideal gas theory assumes there is no intermolecular potential energy.

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