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Most Probable Velocity

The document derives the formula for the most probable molecular velocity (Ump) according to Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. It starts with the Maxwell-Boltzmann probability distribution function and takes its derivative to find where the probability is at a maximum. This occurs when the variable MU^2/2RT equals 1. Taking the square root of both sides and simplifying gives the final formula for Ump as the square root of 2RT/M, where R is the gas constant, T is temperature, and M is the molecular mass.

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2K views2 pages

Most Probable Velocity

The document derives the formula for the most probable molecular velocity (Ump) according to Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. It starts with the Maxwell-Boltzmann probability distribution function and takes its derivative to find where the probability is at a maximum. This occurs when the variable MU^2/2RT equals 1. Taking the square root of both sides and simplifying gives the final formula for Ump as the square root of 2RT/M, where R is the gas constant, T is temperature, and M is the molecular mass.

Uploaded by

batazai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Derivation of molecular velocities from Maxwell Boltzmann law of

distribution of velocities.
The most probable velocity: (Ump)
The velocity possessed by the maximum number of a gas at given temperature is called most
probable velocity.
The most probable velocity can be derived by using the conditions of maximum by setting
probability with respect equal to zero.
We know according to Maxwell Boltzmann law of velocities distribution.
𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝟐
= 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 . 𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . 𝑼 . 𝒅𝑼
𝑵 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻
Or
𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝟐
. = 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 . 𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . 𝑼 … … … … … … … … … . (1)
𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻

Differentiate equation (1) with respect to U.


𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝒅 𝑴 𝟑 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝟐
( . )= {𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 . 𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . 𝑼 }
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻

Applying the product rule of differentiation.


𝒅 𝒅𝒈 𝒅𝒇
(𝒇(𝒙). 𝒈(𝒙)) = 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)
𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒙
Let
𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝟑
− 𝑴
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 , 𝒈(𝒙) = 𝑼𝟐 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻

𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 𝒅 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝟐
( . ) = 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 {𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . 𝑼 }
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝒅𝑼

𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝒅 𝒅 𝑴𝑼𝟐
( . ) = 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 {𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . (𝑼𝟐 ) + 𝑼𝟐 . (𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 )
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝒅𝑼 𝒅𝑼
𝑴𝑼𝟐
𝒅
Apply the following rule as well on 𝒅𝑼 (𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 ) we get.

𝒅 𝒂𝒙
(𝒆 ) = 𝒂𝒆𝒂𝒙
𝒅𝒙
𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝑴𝑼𝟐 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐
( . ) = 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 {𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . 𝟐𝑼 + 𝑼𝟐 (− . 𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 )}
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝟐𝑹𝑻

𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝟐
𝟐𝑴𝑼 − 𝑴𝑼𝟐
( . ) = 𝟒𝝅( ) {𝒆
𝟐 𝟐𝑹𝑻 . 𝟐𝑼 − 𝑼 . 𝒆 𝟐𝑹𝑻 } … … … … … … … … … . (2)
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝟐𝑹𝑻
𝑴𝑼𝟐
Taking 𝟐𝑼. 𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 common we get.
𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵 𝑴 𝟑 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝑴𝑼𝟐
( . ) = 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 𝟐𝑼. 𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 {𝟏 − } … … … … … … … … … . (3)
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝟐𝑹𝑻
𝒅 𝟏 𝒅𝑵
At the maximum point ( . )=0
𝒅𝑼 𝑵 𝒅𝑼

𝑴 𝟑 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝑴𝑼𝟐
𝟎 = 𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 𝟐𝑼. 𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 {𝟏 − } … … … … … … … … … . (4)
𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝟐𝑹𝑻

Rearrange equation we get.

𝑴 𝟑 𝑴𝑼𝟐 𝑴𝑼𝟐
𝟒𝝅( )𝟐 𝟐𝑼. 𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 {𝟏 − }=𝟎
𝟐𝝅𝑹𝑻 𝟐𝑹𝑻

There are three possibilities.


i. U=0
𝑴𝑼𝟐
ii. 𝒆− 𝟐𝑹𝑻 = 0 when U = ∞
𝑴𝑼𝟐
iii. 1− =0
𝟐𝑹𝑻

The first and second possibilities correspond to minimum when U→0 and dN→0.
The third possibility satisfy the condition of maximum velocity at maximum point of
Maxwell Boltzmann velocity distribution law graph. i.e.
𝑴𝑼𝟐
1− =0
𝟐𝑹𝑻
or
𝑴𝑼𝟐
=1
𝟐𝑹𝑻
Or
𝟐𝑹𝑻
𝑼𝟐 = … … … … … … … … … . (5)
𝑴
Taking the square root of equation (5) we get.

𝟐𝑹𝑻
√ 𝑼𝟐 = √
𝑴

or

𝟐𝑹𝑻
𝑈𝑚𝑝 = √
𝑴

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