Chapter 18, Problem 18.63P

You have two identical containers, one containing gas A and the other gas B. The masses of these molecules are m_A = 3.34 × 10⁻²⁷ kg and m_B = 5.34 × 10⁻²⁶ kg. Both gases are under the same pressure and are at 10.0°C. (a) Which molecules (A or B) have greater translational kinetic energy per molecule and rms speeds? (b) Now you want to raise the temperature of only one of these containers so that both gases will have the same rms speed. For which gas should you raise the temperature? (c) At what temperature will you accomplish your goal? (d) Once you have accomplished your goal, which molecules (A or B) now have greater average translational kinetic energy per molecule?