Question

Consider a sample of oxygen at 300 K. Find the average time taken by a molecule to travel a distance equal to the diameter of the earth.

Answer 1

$V_{avg}=\frac{\sqrt{8RT}}{\sqrt{\pi M}}=\frac{\sqrt{8\times 8.83\times 300}}{3.14\times 0.032}$

= 445.25 m/s

T = $\frac{\text{distance}}{\text{speed}}=\frac{6400000\times 2sec}{445.25}$

= $\frac{28747.83hrs}{3600}$

= 7.985 hrs = 8 hrs.