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Imagine that hydrogen molecules (#H_2#) and oxygen molecules (#O_2#) decided to have a race. if the temperature was the same for both gases, which gas would win the race? Why?

Answer 1

What are the odds....? I would put my money on the dihydrogen molecule.

The dihydrogen molecule ought to easily prevail in the face-off.

According to kinetic molecular theory, a gaseous particle's root mean square velocity is determined by.....

#v_"rms"=sqrt((3RT)/(M_"gas"))#

And since #v_"rms"# is inversely proportional to the square root of the mass of the molecule given equivalent temperature, dihydrogen is faster.

It should be noted that the separation of isotopic gases based on their differential speeds can be accomplished practically by utilizing this principle.

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Answer 2

Jeremiah Adams

Oxygen molecules (O₂) would win the race because they have a lower molar mass compared to hydrogen molecules (H₂), and gas speed is inversely proportional to molar mass at a constant temperature.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.