Question

The gas molecules randomly move in all directions and collide with each other and with the wall of the container. It is difficult to determine the speed of an individual molecule but it has become possible to work out the distribution of molecules among different molecular speeds. This is known as Maxwell Boltzmann distribution.
Consider the following graph about Maxwell's distribution of speeds at two different temperatures $T_1$ and $T_2$.

Total area under the curve at $T_1$ is

• A. equal to that under curve at $T_2$
• B. less than that under curve at $T_2$
• C. greater than that under curve at $T_2$
• D. can be greater or less than that under curve at $T_2$, depending on the nature of the gas

Answer 1

The correct option is A equal to that under curve at $T_2$

Total area under the curve at $T_1$ is equal to that under curve at $T_2$. Total area under the curve is independent of the temperature.