Not all gases move at the same speed at the same temperature.
The kinetic energy of each molecule is given by:
Since the total area under the curve represents 100% of the molecules, if the distribution spreads out to include higher speeds, the peak must lower to maintain the same total area. 2. Comparing Different Gases (Molar Mass) If you have Nitrogen ( cap N sub 2 ) and Helium (
). The area under the curve to the right of this line represents the fraction of molecules with enough energy to react. Not all gases move at the same speed at the same temperature
: Because some particles move much faster, the curve must stretch horizontally. To keep the total area (particle count) the same, the peak must drop vertically to compensate for this horizontal stretching. Khan Academy Summary of Key Relationships Higher Temperature : Curve becomes lower and wider; peak shifts right. Higher Molar Mass : Curve becomes taller and narrower; peak shifts left. Adding a Catalyst : Curve stays the same; the cap E sub a threshold shifts left. siebertscience.com step-by-step guide
) is converted into . Using grams will throw your calculations off by a factor of roughly 31.6.
Before tackling the extension questions, it is vital to understand what the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve actually represents. Comparing Different Gases (Molar Mass) If you have
At any given temperature, all gases in the atmosphere share the same average kinetic energy. However, because Hydrogen and Helium have incredibly small molar masses (
Extension questions often ask you to differentiate between the three distinct velocities marked on a Maxwell-Boltzmann curve. Most Probable Speed ( vmpv sub m p end-sub
The most common chemical application in extension questions links the velocity distribution directly to chemical kinetics and collision theory. To keep the total area (particle count) the
The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) activities are designed to help students visualize how gas particle speeds and kinetic energies are distributed at various temperatures and molar masses. The extension questions
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