Skip to main content
Ch. 18 - Kinetic Theory of Gases
Giancoli Douglas - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th edition
Giancoli Douglas5th editionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137488179Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 18, Problem 73b

A sample of cesium vapor is in an oven at 400°C. The volume of the oven is 75 cm³, the vapor pressure of Cs at 400°C is 17 mm-Hg, and the diameter of cesium atoms in the vapor is 0.33 nm. Determine the number of collisions a single Cs atom undergoes with other cesium atoms per second.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Convert the given vapor pressure of cesium from mm-Hg to Pascals (Pa) using the conversion factor: 1 mm-Hg = 133.322 Pa. This will allow us to work in SI units for pressure.
Calculate the number density of cesium atoms (n) using the ideal gas law: \( PV = Nk_BT \), where \( P \) is the pressure, \( V \) is the volume, \( N \) is the number of particles, \( k_B \) is the Boltzmann constant, and \( T \) is the temperature in Kelvin. Rearrange to find \( n = \frac{P}{k_B T} \).
Determine the mean free path (\( \lambda \)) of a cesium atom using the formula: \( \lambda = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \pi d^2 n} \), where \( d \) is the diameter of a cesium atom and \( n \) is the number density calculated in the previous step.
Calculate the average speed of a cesium atom (\( v_{avg} \)) using the formula: \( v_{avg} = \sqrt{\frac{8k_B T}{\pi m}} \), where \( m \) is the mass of a cesium atom, \( k_B \) is the Boltzmann constant, and \( T \) is the temperature in Kelvin.
Determine the collision frequency (\( f \)) for a single cesium atom using the formula: \( f = \frac{v_{avg}}{\lambda} \). This gives the number of collisions a single cesium atom undergoes per second.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
9m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Kinetic Molecular Theory

Kinetic Molecular Theory explains the behavior of gases in terms of particles in constant motion. It posits that gas particles collide elastically with each other and the walls of their container, and that the temperature of the gas is directly related to the average kinetic energy of its particles. This theory is essential for understanding how cesium atoms interact in the vapor state.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:50
Introduction to Kinetic-Molecular Theory

Collision Frequency

Collision frequency refers to the number of collisions that occur between particles in a given time frame. It is influenced by factors such as the density of the gas, the size of the particles, and their relative velocities. In this context, calculating the collision frequency of cesium atoms helps determine how often a single atom interacts with others in the vapor.
Recommended video:
Guided course
05:08
Circumference, Period, and Frequency in UCM

Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas through the equation PV = nRT. This law is fundamental in calculating the number of particles in a given volume of gas, which is necessary for determining the collision rate of cesium atoms in the vapor. Understanding this relationship allows for accurate predictions of gas behavior under specified conditions.
Recommended video:
Guided course
07:21
Ideal Gases and the Ideal Gas Law