Problem III

1) The kinetic energy of a hard disk is proportional to T. Use the applet to find how k relates to T and M, qualitatively explain why.

2) Try a few more different systems (different D and N) and convince yourself that this is generally applicable to hard disk systems, regardless of ideal or non-ideal.

3) Chen et al. reported the thermal conductivity of Argon from 338 K to 2518 K at a pressure of 70.0 cmHg. Plot k vs. T. Find out the exponent of T and compare it with the value you obtained from part 1). Explain. (Hint: so far we have assumed that the gas atoms are hard disks which feel each other only when they bump into each other. but in real situation they attract each other when they are not so close and they repel each other when they are too close).