Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: LHM on January 17, 2011, 12:46:17 PM

Title: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: LHM on January 17, 2011, 12:46:17 PM
Temperature is defined as the average kinetic energy, but gases have more kinetic energy than liquids, which have more kinetic energy than solids. So if you have a solid, liquid, and gas at the same temperature, are they going to have the same kinetic energy because they're at the same temperature, or will the gas still have the most kinetic energy?
Title: Re: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: Borek on January 17, 2011, 02:40:14 PM
I have a cup of a hot tea here, standing on the desk. As far as I can tell, its kinetic energy is zero.
Title: Re: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: opti384 on January 17, 2011, 10:44:03 PM
Quote from: Borek on January 17, 2011, 02:40:14 PM
I have a cup of a hot tea here, standing on the desk. As far as I can tell, its kinetic energy is zero.

But couldn't the tea molecules have kinetic energy since they are moving and vibrating by themselves?
Title: Re: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: Vidya on January 18, 2011, 01:56:47 AM
Hi
molecules are in motion in all the three states
max - in gases
minimum in solids (vibrational  ,rotational )
at the same temp
 K.E of the gaseous molecules is max
Title: Re: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: Borek on January 18, 2011, 04:24:53 AM
Original question did not mention molecules  :P

Quote from: LHM on January 17, 2011, 12:46:17 PM
if you have a solid, liquid, and gas at the same temperature, are they going to have the same kinetic energy
Title: Re: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: RandoFlyer on January 21, 2011, 11:09:12 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperatures#Foundation

The formula Ek=1/2kT may help answer your question
Title: Re: Kinetic energy of solids, liquids, and gases at the same temperature
Post by: LHM on February 19, 2011, 08:53:35 PM
Quote from: Borek on January 18, 2011, 04:24:53 AM
Original question did not mention molecules  :P

Quote from: LHM on January 17, 2011, 12:46:17 PM
if you have a solid, liquid, and gas at the same temperature, are they going to have the same kinetic energy

I'm sorry but I'm still slightly confused about this entire thing especially after this: http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=46364.msg175807#msg175807

So to clarify, is it that the molecules have the same kinetic energy then, but the actual gas overall has more kinetic energy than the liquid or solid because the molecules in a gas are more spaced apart?