gas Particles travel?

Question

Gas Particles travel at speeds of up to 500 meters per second. Why, then does it take so long for gas molecules to travel the legnth of the room

Answer 1

The key reason is that gas molecules are constantly bumping into other molecules that deflect their path. Instead of just heading constantly in one direction in a straight line, the average gas molecule's path seems like a "random walk" where it briefly moves one way than another and another.

In summary, don't think of a gas molecule like a car shooting past you on the freeway in a straight line. Maybe think of a bunch of chaotic Ping-Pong balls set loose, bumping off each other in crazy ways for a while until eventually they spread out a bit.

Answer 2

The problem lies in "up to". While some gas particles can move that fast, it doesn't mean all gas particles move that fast. Most gas particles don't move very quickly at all. Sure, they have more energy than liquids and solids, but they don't necessarily move that fast.

Even if gas particles did move that fast, there's also the problem of trying to get them to move in a straight line. That's nearly impossible due to the constant collision of other particles in the way.