According to the law of equipartition of energy, the number of vibrational modes of a polyatomic gas of…

According to the law of equipartition of energy, the number of vibrational modes of a polyatomic gas of constant $\gamma=\frac{C_p}{C_v}$ is ( $C_P$ where $C_v$ are the specific heat capacities of the gas at constant pressure and constant volume, respectively):
  1. $\frac{4+3 \gamma}{\gamma-1}$
  2. $\frac{3+4 \gamma}{\gamma-1}$
  3. $\frac{4-3 \gamma}{\gamma-1}$
  4. $\frac{3-4 \gamma}{\gamma-1}$

Solution

A polygamic gas has 3 translational, 3 rotational and $f$ vibration modes $U=\frac{3}{2} k_B T+\frac{3}{2} k_B T+f k_B T$ $U=(3+f) k_B T$ $C_V=(3+f) R$ $C_p=(4+f) R$ $\frac{C_p}{C_v}=\frac{4+f}{3+f}=\gamma$ $4+f=3 \gamma+f \gamma$ $4-3 \gamma=f(\gamma-1) \Rightarrow f=\frac{4-3 \gamma}{\gamma-1}$

Asked in: NEET 2024 (Re-NEET)

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