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Particle Model of Gases (CIE IGCSE Physics)
Revision Note
Motion of particles in a gas
- In the particle model, molecules in a gas are in constant random motion at high speeds
- Random motion means that the molecules are travelling in no specific path and undergo sudden changes in their motion if they collide:
- With the walls of its container
- With other molecules
- Pressure in a gas is caused by the collisions of particles with the walls of the container
- When the particles travel faster (e.g. at a higher temperature), they collide with walls more frequently
- This means the gas exerts a greater pressure
Random motion of gas molecules in a container. Collisions with container walls creates pressure in the particle model
Pressure & force of particles in a gas
Extended tier only
- Gases fill their container
- The pressure is defined as the force per unit area
- Where:
- = pressure in pascals Pa
- = force in newtons N
- = area in metres-squared m2
- This equation and the particle model can be used to explain how particles exert pressure
- As the gas particles move about randomly they collide with the walls of their containers
- These collisions produce force at right angles to the wall of the gas container (or any surface)
- Pressure is force per unit area, so the force of these collisions exerts a pressure
- When the particles move faster, they have more frequent collisions with the container walls and these exert a greater force
- If the force exerted per unit area is greater and more frequent, the pressure exerted is also greater
Gas molecules bouncing off the walls of a container exert a force perpendicular to the surface
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