Law of equipartition of energy:

For any system in thermal equilibrium, the total energy is equally distributed among
its various degree of freedom. And the energy associated with each molecule of the
1
system per degree of freedom of the system is kT .
2
where k 1.38 10 23 J / K , T = absolute temperature of the
system.
If the system possess degree of freedom f then

f
Total energy associated with each molecule kT
2

f
Total energy associated with N molecules N kT
2

f
Total energy associated with each mole RT
2

f
Total energy associated with mole RT
2

f
Total energy associated with each gram rT
2

f
Total energy associated with M0 gram M0 rT
2

ILLUSTRATIONS
Ex1.Energy of all molecules of a monoatomic gas having a volume V and pressure P is
3
PV . The total translational kinetic energy of all molecules of a diatomic gas as the
2
same volume and pressure is
f f
Sol. Energy of 1 mole of gas RT PV where f = Degree of freedom
2 2
Monoatomic or diatomic both gases posses equal degree of freedom for translational
motion and that is equal to 3 i.e. f = 3
3
E PV
2
3
Although total energy will be different,For monoatomic gas E total PV [As f = 3]
2
 5
For diatomic gas E total PV [As f = 5]
2
Ex2.The temperature of argon, kept in a vessel is raised by 1C at a constant volume.
The total heat supplied to the gas is a combination of translational and rotational
energies. What is their respective share?
Sol. As argon is a monoatomic gas therefore its molecule will possess only
translatory kinetic energy i.e. the share of translational and rotational energies will
be 100% and 0% respectively.

Ex3. CO 2 (O C O) is a triatomic gas.Find the mean kinetic energy of one gram

gas(If N-Avogadro's number, k-Boltzmann's constant and molecular weight of
CO 2 44 ).

f
Sol. Mean kinetic energy for mole gas . RT
2
7 m 7 1 7 7
E RT NkT NkT NkT [As f = 7 and M = 44 for CO 2 ]
2 M 2 44 2 88

Ex4: At standard temperature and pressure the density of a gas is 1.3 gm/ m3 and
the speed of the sound in gas is 330 m/sec. TFind the degree of freedom of the gas.
m kg
Sol. Given velocity of sound v s 330 , Density of gas 1 .3 , Atomic
sec m3
N
pressure P 1.01 10 5
m2

P
Substituting these value in v sound we get 1.41

2 2 2
Now from 1 we get f 5.
f 1 1 .4 1

Ex5. A gas molecule has 3 translational degree of freedom and 2 rotational degree of
freedom. What is its total energy?
Sol. Total energy= total translational energy +total rotational energy
1 1 5
= 3 kT 2 kT kT
2 2 2
 EXERCISES
Q1. Mean kinetic energy per degree of freedom of gas molecules is
3 1 3
(a) KT (b) KT (c) KT (d) RT
2 2 2
Sol.(c) *refer text
Q2.The translatory kinetic energy of a gas per gm is
3 RT 3 RT 3
(a) (b) (c) RT (d) 3 NKT
2 N 2 M 2 2
Sol.(b)*refer text
Q3.A monoatomic gas molecule has
(a)Three degrees of freedom
(b)Four degrees of freedom
(c)Five degrees of freedom
(d)Six degrees of freedom
Sol. (a)
A monoatomice gas molecule has three translational degrees of freedom.
Q4.The degrees of freedom of a triatomic gas is
(a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6 (d) 8
Sol.(c)
A triatomic gas molecule has 3translational and 3 rotational degrees of freedom.

Q5.The ratio of number of translational degrees of freedom to that of rotational

degree of freedom for a diatomic gas is
(a) 2 (b) 3/4 (c) 2/3 (d) 6/4
Sol. (d)
A diatomic gas has 3translational and 2 rotational degrees of freedom.

Q6.A polyatomic gas with n degrees of freedom has a mean energy per molecule
given by
(a) nkT / N A (b) nkT / 2 N A (c) nkT/2 (d) 3kT/2
Sol.(c)
*refer text
Q7.The average thermal energy of a helium atom at room temperature (27 C) is

(a) 6.21 10-21 J

(b) 3.10 10-21 J

(c) 2.21 10-21 J

(d) 3.21 10-21 J
Sol.(a)
At room temperature, T = 27C = 300 K
3 3
Average thermal energy= kT = 1.38 10-23 300 6.2110 21 J
2 2