MCQEasyJEE 2024Degrees of Freedom & Law of Equipartition

JEE Physics 2024 Question with Solution

The parameter that remains the same for molecules of all gases at a given temperature is:

  • A

    Kinetic energy

  • B

    Momentum

  • C

    Mass

  • D

    Speed

Answer

Correct answer:A

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: The question asks which parameter remains the same for molecules of all gases at a given temperature.

Find: The correct option.

From kinetic theory, the average kinetic energy of a gas molecule depends only on absolute temperature: Ek=32kTE_k = \frac{3}{2}kT Here, kk is the Boltzmann constant and TT is the absolute temperature.

Therefore, at the same temperature, molecules of all gases have the same average kinetic energy.

  • Momentum depends on mass and speed, so it varies from gas to gas.
  • Mass depends on the type of gas, so it is not the same.
  • Speed also varies because different gases have different molecular masses.

Therefore, the correct option is A.

The solution explicitly concludes that the parameter common to all gases at a given temperature is kinetic energy.

Conceptual Fact

Given: Same temperature for different gases.

Find: Which molecular parameter is unchanged.

Use the direct result of kinetic theory and equipartition: temperature measures the average kinetic energy of molecules. So if temperature is fixed, average kinetic energy is fixed.

Thus, the correct option is A.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing speed because lighter molecules move faster is incomplete reasoning. At the same temperature, different gases can have different speeds, so speed is not the common parameter. Focus on average kinetic energy, which depends only on temperature.

  • Choosing momentum confuses molecular motion with a universal temperature-dependent quantity. Momentum depends on both mass and speed, and both can differ across gases. Use the kinetic theory relation for average kinetic energy instead.

  • Choosing mass ignores that molecular mass is a property of the gas species itself. Different gases have different molecular masses, so mass cannot remain the same for all gases at a given temperature.

Practice more Degrees of Freedom & Law of Equipartition questions

Get unlimited AI-adaptive practice, mastery tracking, and an AI tutor that explains every step — free to start.

Related questions