Question

The pressure P of an ideal gas and its kinetic energy per unit volume are related as

Answer 1

The pressure P that a gas exerts on the surface of a solid or liquid is a measure of the rate at which momentum is transferred to the surface from molecules that strike it and rebound.

Assuming that in an enclosed space the kinetic energy of all the molecules is constant and that the gas is a perfect gas, it is possible to establish a simple relation between pressure and kinetic energy per unit volume.

The pressure is two-thirds of the kinetic energy per unit volume.