Ideal Gas - Heat Capacity

Heat Capacity

The heat capacity at constant volume of n = 1 / R mole of any gas (so that n R = 1 J·K−1), including an ideal gas is:

This is the dimensionless heat capacity at constant volume, which is generally a function of temperature due to intermolecular forces. For moderate temperatures, the constant for a monoatomic gas is while for a diatomic gas it is . It is seen that macroscopic measurements on heat capacity provide information on the microscopic structure of the molecules.

The heat capacity at constant pressure of 1/R mole of ideal gas is:

where is the enthalpy of the gas.

Sometimes, a distinction is made between an ideal gas, where and could vary with temperature, and a perfect gas, for which this is not the case.

Read more about this topic:  Ideal Gas

Famous quotes containing the words heat and/or capacity:

    To say nothing is out here is incorrect; to say the desert is stingy with everything except space and light, stone and earth is closer to the truth.
    —William Least Heat Moon [William Trogdon] (b. 1939)

    He has a capacity for enjoyment so vast that he gives away great chunks to those about him, and never even misses them.... He can take you to a bicycle race and make it raise your hair.
    Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)