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Topic: Root mean square speed  (Read 3966 times)

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Offline Aakash

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Root mean square speed
« on: June 15, 2013, 08:26:54 AM »
Utter confusion! Please help'!

There is a question in my book where we have to find root mean square velocity of oxygen at STP provided the density of oxygen. I know the formula that is sqrt3RT/M. But my answer is not coming right and in the solution they have used the formula sqrt(Pressure/density).
« Last Edit: June 15, 2013, 09:35:39 AM by Aakash »

Offline Hunter2

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Re: Root mean square speed
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2013, 06:06:41 AM »
Check the units. Only SQR(pressure/density) give a unit for speed.

Offline curiouscat

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Re: Root mean square speed
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2013, 06:57:27 AM »
Check the units. Only SQR(pressure/density) give a unit for speed.

No. Other one does too.

Offline Hunter2

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Re: Root mean square speed
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2013, 07:29:53 AM »
Yes you are right

Offline Nisarg Shah

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Re: Root mean square speed
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2013, 09:48:19 AM »
There is a question in my book where we have to find root mean square velocity of oxygen at STP provided the density of oxygen. I know the formula that is sqrt3RT/M. But my answer is not coming right and in the solution they have used the formula sqrt(Pressure/density).
Most popular formula for RMS speed is vrms=√3RT/M. Using the gas equation and density=mass/volume, you can prove that vrms=√ρ/p (try it yourself), where ρ is the density of the gas.
So both of these equations are the same. This means there is something wrong in your calculations.
Most probable error would be that you've not put the values with correct units.
Reply if you're still not getting your answer.

Offline Aakash

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Re: Root mean square speed
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2013, 12:53:26 AM »
Thank You!
You were right.

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