Cl 351- Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics Lab || Semester II, 2020-21

Concept Builder 1 || Jan 15, 2021

Roll No: 18110032 Name: Sakshi Baheti

Marks are awarded solely on the basis of attempting the question/s. Marks will not be deducted for an incorrect
answer. As long as an attempt is being made and an effort is displayed towards answering the question/s,
maximum credit will be assigned. Kindly note that you have to email your completed concept builder by the end
of lecture to the TA Apoorva (sr.apoorva@iitgn.ac.in). You should rename the file as Concept-Builder-1-First
Name-Roll No.

1. What is a physical picture that you can associate with Temperature?

Temperature is something that I fundamentally relate with the molecular motion. It is associated with the
translational, vibrational as well as the rotational motion of the molecules of a substance, occurring at a
microscopic scale. Temperature is associated with the Average Kinetic Energy of the molecules, as each
of the molecule despite being at the common uniform Temperature, has different path of motion and
velocity depending on the external conditions like collisions with other molecules or with the walls of the
container.

2. Consider a mixture of 2 gases A and B at a specified temperature. Explain whether or not the following
statement is valid:
The average velocity of molecules of A has to be same as the average velocity of molecules of B as these
are at the same temperature.
The above statement is not valid. Although the average velocity of molecules is directly proportional to
the square root of Temperature, it is also inversely proportional to the square root of Molecular weight of
of the gas. Since, the two gases are different it is not necessary that the two may have the same Molecular
weight. Hence, their average velocities need not be same, despite being at same Temperature.

3. Consider 2 containers, one containing gas A and the other containing gas B maintained at temperatures
TA and TB, such that TA > TB. Explain whether or not the following statement is valid:
The velocity of a randomly selected molecule of gas A may be smaller than the velocity of a randomly
selected molecule of gas B
The above statement is not valid. Considering the Molecular mass of the gases to be the same, since
Ta>Tb, hence the average velocity of molecules of gas A will be greater than the average velocity of
molecules of gas B. The velocity distribution curve of molecules shows Normalized distribution. This
means that there are some molecules which have velocity less than the average velocity and velocity
greater than the average velocity. So if we compare the molecules of A which lie on left side of average
velocity in the Normalized velocity distribution curve (i.e. the ones having velocity lower than the average
velocity) and the molecules of B which lie on the right side of average velocity in the Normalized velocity
distribution curve (i.e. the ones having velocity greater than the average velocity), there will definitely be
a case where the above statement can be contradicted.