kinetic theory of gases

American  

noun

Physics.

1. a theory that the particles in a gas move freely and rapidly along straight lines but often collide, resulting in variations in their velocity and direction. Pressure is interpreted as arising from the impacts of these particles with the walls of a container.

---

Etymology

Origin of kinetic theory of gases

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kinetic theory of gases

We gain a better understanding of pressure and temperature from the kinetic theory of gases, which assumes that atoms and molecules are in continuous random motion.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

The Austrian physicist Johann Josef Loschmidt was the first to measure the value of the constant in 1865 using the kinetic theory of gases.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Also during the 19th century, the kinetic theory of gases was developed.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

The kinetic theory of gases, on the other hand, is a model in which a gas is viewed as being composed of atoms and molecules.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

The calculation is based on experiments made with the radiometer of Professor Crookes, an instrument which in itself is held to demonstrate the truth of the kinetic theory of gases.

From A History of Science — Volume 3 by Williams, Henry Smith