Question

What do you mean by degree of freedom discuss the degree of freedom of a diatomic and triatomic gas molecule

Answer 1

A degree of freedom of a physical system is an independent parameter that is necessary to characterize the state of a physical system. In general, a degree of freedom may be any useful property that is not dependent on other variables.

The location of a particle in three-dimensional space requires three position coordinates. Similarly, the direction and speed at which a particle moves can be described in terms of three velocity components, each in reference to the three dimensions of space. If the time evolution of the system is deterministic, where the state at one instant uniquely determines its past and future position and velocity as a function of time, such a system has six degrees of freedom.[citation needed] If the motion of the particle is constrained to a lower number of dimensions, for example, the particle must move along a wire or on a fixed surface, then the system has fewer than six degrees of freedom. On the other hand, a system with an extended object that can rotate or vibrate can have more than six degrees of freedom.

Diatomic GAS A molecule of diatomic gas has five degrees of freedom (3 tanslational and 2 rotational).

Triatomic GAS (non-linear) A molecule of non linear gas can rotate about any of three co-ordinate axes.Hence it has six degrees of freedom (3 translational and 3 rotational).