Kinetic Theory of Gases

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3.Pressure Exerted by an Ideal Gas

Let us consider an ideal gas in a cubic container of edge length L as shown in Fig.1.
surfaces of the cube normal to x-axis.
The surfaces of the container are perfectly elastic. Take a molecule with
an average velocity
whose components along x, y and z directions are vx ,
vy and vz. If the molecule undergoes collision with surface

and S2 are the two

, its x-component

of velocity vx reverses and there is no effect on the vy and vz. It is as per the
assumption of the elastic collision. The change in momentum of the molecule,

................. (

5)
where m is the mass of each molecule.

As per the conservation of momentum, there is no net change in

momentum.Thus a momentum 2mvx is exerted on the wall S1 of the container.
Fig.1: Ideal gas in a cubic container
If the reversed molecule collides with S2 and comes back to

without undergoing any other collision except on these

two walls, the time spent by the molecule between two consecutive collision at
The number of collisions of the molecule with

is

per unit time

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