Answer: Average distance travelled between two successive collisions.
- A Total distance travelled by a molecule in one second according to standard textbooks
- B Average distance travelled between two successive collisions
- C Diameter of a gas molecule in general practice as frequently described
- D Distance between the container walls in most textbook accounts
Correct answer: B. Average distance travelled between two successive collisions
Explanation: Mean free path is the average distance a gas molecule travels between two successive collisions with other molecules.
Not all gas molecules move at the same speed - the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution shows the spread, with the most probable speed vp slightly less than the average vavg, which is slightly less than the root-mean-square speed vrms used in the pressure formula.
Concept context
Kinetic theory of gases connects molecular motion to pressure and temperature, explaining gas laws, specific heats, and molecular speeds.