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2006-09-18 15:46:14 · 4 answers · asked by osito 3 in Science & Mathematics Physics

4 answers

The kinetic theory of matter is, in its essence, quite a simple theory. However, like all good models in physics, it has enormous predicting power. It is so effective at predicting the behavior of matter that it is now accepted as absolute truth.

Kinetic theory – the basics
We think that all matter is made of particles. There are forces between these particles and these forces hold the particles together (in solids and liquids). However, the particles are also moving. The higher the temperature of a material, the more its internal energy and the more energy its particles have. In a solid, this means they vibrate more vigorously; in liquids and gases, it means they move faster.

Solid energies
Particles in a solid are vibrating. It is as though each one is an oscillator on a spring. This means that a particle can have kinetic energy (because it is moving) and elastic potential energy – stored in the springy bond when it is stretched.

A simple oscillator will have its maximum kinetic energy as it moves through its equilibrium position (this is where it moves fastest). However, it will then lose this kinetic energy and gain potential energy as its bonds are stretched again. The total energy of the oscillator is the sum of its kinetic energy and elastic potential energy. At any time, the total energy is a constant.

A group of particles
However, this picture is more involved for a solid with billions of particles. They are constantly transferring energy between each other. So the total internal energy of the solid is the sum of all the kinetic energies and potential energies of all the particles. At any given time, we couldn’t say whether the energy is mainly kinetic energy or elastic potential energy. Neither could we say which particles have how much energy. The total internal energy of the solid is randomly distributed between KE and EPE and also randomly shared amongst all the particles.

As the internal energy of the solid increases, the average maximum elastic potential energy of the oscillators goes up. Eventually, they have enough EPE to break their bonds. The solid will begin to melt. Whilst it is melting, any extra internal energy is used to break bonds and the temperature stops going up.

2006-09-18 15:51:45 · answer #1 · answered by The Answer Man 5 · 0 0

Kinetic Energy Theory

2016-11-07 02:28:15 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

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RE:
what is the kinetic energy theory?

2015-08-19 03:45:43 · answer #3 · answered by Kirsteni 1 · 0 0

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. An object which has motion - whether it be vertical or horizontal motion - has kinetic energy. There are many forms of kinetic energy - vibrational (the energy due to vibrational motion), rotational (the energy due to rotational motion), and translational (the energy due to motion from one location to another). To keep matters simple, we will focus upon translational kinetic energy. The amount of translational kinetic energy (from here on, the phrase kinetic energy will refer to translational kinetic energy) which an object has depends upon two variables: the mass (m) of the object and the speed (v) of the object. The following equation is used to represent the kinetic energy (KE) of an object.


where m = mass of object

v = speed of object

2006-09-18 18:25:22 · answer #4 · answered by Ekant 2 · 1 0

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