Section 6
Kinetic Molecular Theory
Book
Version 33
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By Boundless
Boundless Chemistry
Chemistry
by Boundless
4 concepts
Kinetic Molecular Theory and Gas Laws
Kinetic Molecular Theory explains the macroscopic properties of gases and can be used to understand and explain the gas laws.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/32457/square/vc6efuskqcwgbir4oywb.jpg)
Distribution of Molecular Speeds and Collision Frequency
The Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution describes the average molecular speeds for a collection of gas particles at a given temperature.
Root-Mean-Square Speed
The root-mean-square speed measures the average speed of particles in a gas, defined as
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/9513/raw/diffusion.jpg)
Gas Diffusion and Effusion
Due to their constant, random motion, gas molecules diffuse into areas of lower concentration, and effuse through tiny openings.