+2 votes
in Physics by kratos

Calculate the fraction of gas molecules which have the mean-free-path in the range λ to 2λ.

1 Answer

+5 votes
by kratos
 
Best answer

Fraction of gas molecules that do not undergo collisions after path length x is exp(−x/λ). Therefore the fraction of molecules that has free path values between λ to 2λ is

f = exp(−λ/λ) − exp(−2λ/λ)

= exp(−1) − exp(−2)

= 0.37 − 0.14 = 0.23

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