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Ch.5 - Gases
Chapter 5, Problem 92

Which postulate of the kinetic molecular theory breaks down under conditions of low temperature?

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Identify the postulates of the kinetic molecular theory. These include: 1) Gas particles are in constant, random motion. 2) The volume of the gas particles is negligible compared to the volume of the container. 3) Gas particles exert no forces on each other; they neither attract nor repel each other. 4) The average kinetic energy of gas particles is proportional to the temperature in Kelvin.
Consider the conditions of low temperature. At low temperatures, the kinetic energy of gas particles decreases.
Analyze how decreased kinetic energy affects the behavior of gas particles. With lower kinetic energy, the particles move more slowly and are more likely to experience intermolecular forces.
Determine which postulate is affected by these conditions. The postulate that gas particles exert no forces on each other breaks down because, at low temperatures, attractive forces between particles become significant.
Conclude that under low temperature conditions, the assumption that gas particles do not attract or repel each other is no longer valid, leading to deviations from ideal gas behavior.
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