Question
Estimate the average thermal energy of a helium atom at:
(i) room temperature (27°C),
(ii) the temperature on the surface of the sun (6000°K),
(iii) the temperature of 10 million degree Kelvin
(the typical core temperature in the case of a star) k = 1.38x102–3J/K.
Solution
The average thermal energy of atom/molecule is given by ,
(i) Given,
Room temperature = 27°C = 300 K.
Therefore the average thermal energy of He atom at room temperature is,
(ii) Given,
Temperature at surface of the sun=6000K
Therefore the average thermal energy of He atom at temperature of the sun is,
(iii) Thermal energy at temperature "
So, the average thermal energy of the He atom is,
