Question

Temperature of oxygen kept in a vessel is raised by 1°C at constant volume. Heat supplied to the gas may be taken partly as translational and partly rotational kinetic energies. Their respective shares are ___________

(a) 60%, 40%

(b) 50%, 50%

(c) 100%, zero

(d) 40%, 60%

This question was addressed to me in an interview for job.

The query is from Ideal Gases topic in chapter Kinetic Theory of Gases of Engineering Physics I

Answer 1

Right answer is (a) 60%, 40%

To elaborate: A diatomic oxygen molecule has 3 degrees of freedom due to translator motion and 2 degrees of freedom due to rotator motion. Their associated kinetic energies will be in the ratio 3:2 or 60% and 40%.