AP Physics – Kinetic Theory of Gases (Collision Theory)

1.      Generate and collect data of pressure and temperature (with volume and number of moles held constant).  Be sure to collect enough data points over a fairly wide range. Use Graphical Analysis to make a table and a graph of your data. In the notes section of Graphical Analysis record the following information:

a.      Your names

b.      Explain how you kept the number of moles constant

c.       The mathematical relationship between pressure and temperature that best fits your data.

d.      explain conceptually, in terms of what is happening on the molecular level ,why this relationship makes sense. 

2.      Generate and collect data of pressure and volume (with temperature and number of moles held constant).  You can’t directly vary volume in the simulation; think about a quantity that you can measure that is related to volume. Use Graphical Analysis to make a table and a graph of your data. In the notes section of Graphical Analysis record the following information:

a.      Your names

b.       Explain what quantity you used as a stand in for volume, and why this quantity was appropriate to use to determine the relationship between pressure and volume.

c.       The mathematical relationship between pressure and volume that best fits your data.

d.      Explain conceptually in terms of what is happening on the molecular level why this relationship makes sense. 

3.      Generate and collect data of volume and temperature (with pressure and number of moles held constant).  You can’t directly vary volume in the simulation; think about a quantity that you can measure that is related to volume. Use Graphical Analysis to make a table and a graph of your data. In the notes section of Graphical Analysis record the following information:

a.      Your names

b.      The mathematical relationship between volume and temperature that best fits your data.

c.       Explain conceptually in terms of what is happening on the molecular level why this relationship makes sense. 

4.      Find the relationship between number of moles and temperature (with pressure and volume held constant).   Use Graphical Analysis to make a table and a graph of your data. In the notes section of Graphical Analysis record the following information:

a.      Your names

b.      The mathematical relationship between number of moles and temperature

c.        explain conceptually in terms of what is happening on the molecular level why this relationship makes sense. 

d.      Combine all of your found relationships from steps 1-4 and write a single equation (or proportionality) combining all of these ideas.