Physics › Section I · Temperature, gases, and heat › Topic I.3
Kinetic theory of gases
The ideal gas law was found by measuring gases, but it can also be derived by picturing a gas as countless tiny particles bouncing off the walls. That picture explains where pressure comes from and reveals what temperature really is: a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles.
In this topic
- A gas as particles in motion
- From one impact to the pressure
- What temperature means
- Worked example: doubling the energy
- The root-mean-square speed
- Worked example: how fast is argon?
- Lighter and hotter means faster
- A spread of speeds
- Worked example: helium leaking into space
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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