What happens when air is heated up?

In summary, the conversation discusses the behavior of air molecules at different temperatures. It is mentioned that the mean energy of the particles is a measure of temperature and that the acceleration of particles is not usually considered due to energy transfer from collisions with walls. The suggestion to research Kinetic theory of gases is made to better understand this concept. The idea of associating increasing molecular speeds with acceleration is also mentioned, but it may be challenging to create a model based on this.
  • #1
Yong San
1
0
Will the air molecules attain a new fixed acceleration at a specific temperature? Or does it attain a new fixed velocity at a specific temperature?
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
There will be a huge range of particle velocities at any given temperature. The mean energy of the particles is actually a measure of the temperature. I suggest you google Kinetic theory of gases and then pick a page that suits your level. The "acceleration" of particles is not usually considered as the thermal energy is transferred 'to' a volume of gas by the molecules colliding with the walls and getting their extra energy (or losing it) by interaction with the surface molecules. i.e. we normally think in terms of Momentum Transfer in an unspecified duration of each collision.
But you are right, I suppose, to try to associate increasing molecular speeds with an 'acceleration'. It would be hard to make a model based on this, I think.
 

Related to What happens when air is heated up?

1. What is the process that occurs when air is heated up?

When air is heated up, the molecules in the air gain energy and move faster, causing an increase in temperature. This process is known as thermal expansion.

2. What happens to the density of air when it is heated up?

As air is heated up, its density decreases. This is because the increased molecular movement causes the molecules to spread out, creating more space between them.

3. What happens to the pressure of air when it is heated up?

When air is heated up, the pressure of the air increases. This is because the increased molecular movement creates more collisions between molecules, leading to a higher pressure.

4. How does the humidity of air change when it is heated up?

When air is heated up, its relative humidity decreases. This is because warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air, so as the air temperature increases, the amount of water vapor it can hold also increases, resulting in a lower relative humidity.

5. What happens to the volume of air when it is heated up?

As air is heated up, its volume increases. This is due to the thermal expansion process, where the increased molecular movement causes the air molecules to take up more space, resulting in an increase in volume.

Similar threads

Replies
0
Views
799
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
11
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
757
Replies
1
Views
816
  • Thermodynamics
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
739
Replies
2
Views
572
Replies
16
Views
1K
Replies
23
Views
1K
Back
Top