NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 Kinetic Theory

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 Kinetic Theory

Vishal kumarUpdated on 03 Nov 2025, 12:35 AM IST

Have you ever questioned yourself as to why gases expand or put pressure on the sides of a container? The scientific explanation is given by the Kinetic Theory of Gases, which assumes that gases are made of small particles in everlasting, rapid movement. This theory is the work of great scientists such as Boyle, Newton, Maxwell, and Boltzmann, and it is used to explain how gases act in response to changes in pressure and temperature and how they diffuse or mix.

This Story also Contains

  1. NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Download PDF
  2. NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory- Exercise Questions
  3. NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory - Additional Questions
  4. NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Questions
  5. Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Topics
  6. Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Important Formulae
  7. Approach to Solve Questions of the Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory
  8. How Can NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 Kinetic Theory Help in Exam Preparation?
  9. What Extra Should Students Study Beyond NCERT for JEE/NEET?
  10. NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter-Wise

The NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory are very valuable not only in the preparation for the CBSE board but also for competitive exams such as JEE and NEET. The NCERT solutions are the work of physics experts who make complex concepts simple and offer a step-by-step approach to resolving numerical and theoretical problems. These NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory are prepared as per the recent CBSE syllabus, making them conceptually clear and helping the students to develop their ability to solve problems. Through such NCERT solutions, students will be able to have confidence in the chapter as well as score highly in exams.

Also Read

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Download PDF

The Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory question answers include step-by-step solutions of the textbook questions, which help the students to have a clear picture of the behaviour of gases at the molecular scale. One can access these class 11 physics chapter 12 Kinetic Theory questions answers online and download them as a PDF solution without any payment, making practice and revision convenient.

Download PDF

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory- Exercise Questions

Kinetic Theory class 11 question answers provide all the detailed solutions to the exercises, which allow students to understand the behaviour of gases easily at the microscopic level. The class 11 physics chapter 12 Kinetic Theory questions answers make things easy to understand, such as explaining concepts such as pressure, mean free path, gas laws, and the kinetic interpretation of temperature, developing competitive fundamentals to prepare students for exams and other competitive tests like the JEE or NEET.

Q12.1 Estimate the fraction of molecular volume to the actual volume occupied by oxygen gas at STP. Take the diameter of an oxygen molecule to be 3 Å.

Answer:

The diameter of an oxygen molecule, d = 3 Å.

The actual volume of a mole of oxygen molecules, Vactual is

$\\V_{actual}=N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi \left ( \frac{d}{2} \right )^{3}$ $ \\ $
$V_{actual}=6.023\times 10^{23}\times \frac{4}{3}\pi \times \left ( \frac{3\times 10^{-10}}{2} \right )^{3}\\$
$ V_{actual}=8.51\times 10^{-6}m^{3}\\ $
$V_{actual}=8.51\times 10^{-3}litres$

The volume occupied by a mole of oxygen gas at STP is V molar = 22.4 litres

$\\\frac{V_{actual}}{V_{molar}}=\frac{8.51\times 10^{-3}}{22.4}\\ $

$\frac{V_{actual}}{V_{molar}}=3.8\times 10^{-4}$

Q12.2 Molar volume is the volume occupied by 1 mol of any (ideal) gas at standard temperature and pressure (STP: 1 atmospheric pressure, $0^{0}C$ ). Show that it is $22.4 Litres$.

Answer:

As per the ideal gas equation

$\\PV=nRT\\ V=\frac{nRT}{P}$

For one mole of a gas at STP, we have

$\\V=\frac{1\times 8.314\times 273}{1.013\times 10^{5}}\\$
$ V=0.0224 m^{3}\\ $

$V=22.4\ litres$

Q12.3 Figure 13.8 shows a plot of $PV/T$ versus P for $1.00\times 10^{-3}$ kg of oxygen gas at two different temperatures.

PV/T versus P graph

(a) What does the dotted plot signify?
(b) Which is true: $T_{1}> T_{2}\: \: or T_{1}< T_{2}$ ?
(c) What is the value of $PV/T$ where the curves meet on the y-axis?
(d) If we obtained similar plots for $1.00\times 10^{-3}$ kg of hydrogen, would we get the same value of $PV/T$ at the point where the curves meet on the y-axis? If not, what mass of hydrogen yields the same value of $PV/T$ (for low pressure high temperature region of the plot)? (Molecular mass of $H_{2}=2.02\mu$ , of $O_{2}=32.0\mu$, $R=8.31J mol^{-1}K^{-1}$.)

Answer:

(a) The dotted plot corresponds to the ideal gas behaviour.

(b) We know the behaviour of a real gas tends closer to that of an ideal gas as its temperature increases, and since the plot corresponding to temperature T1 is closer to the horizontal line than the one corresponding to T2 we conclude T1 is greater than T2.

(c) As per the ideal gas equation

$\frac{PV}{T}=nR$

The molar mass of oxygen = 32 g

$n=\frac{1}{32}$

R = 8.314

$\\nR=\frac{1}{32}\times 8.314$
$ nR=0.256JK^{-1}$

(d) If we obtained similar plots for $1.00\times 10^{-3}$ kg of hydrogen, we would not get the same value of $PV/T$ at the point where the curves meet on the y-axis as 1 g of Hydrogen would contain more moles than 1 g of Oxygen because of having a smaller molar mass.

Molar Mass of Hydrogen M = 2 g

mass of hydrogen

$m=\frac{PV}{T} \frac{M}{R}={0.256}\times \frac{2}{8.314}=5.48\times10^{-5}Kg$

Q12.4 An oxygen cylinder of volume $30$ litres has an initial gauge pressure of $15$ atm and a temperature of $27^{0}C$. After some oxygen is withdrawn from the cylinder, the gauge pressure drops to $11$ atm and its temperature drops to $17^{0}C$ . Estimate the mass of oxygen taken out of the cylinder ( $R=8.31Jmol^{-1}K^{-1}$, molecular mass of $O_{2}=32\mu$ ).

Answer:

Initial volume, V1 = Volume of Cylinder = 30 l

Initial Pressure P1 = 15 atm

Initial Temperature T1 = 27 o C = 300 K

The initial number of moles n1 inside the cylinder is

$n_{1}=\frac{P_{1}V_{1}}{RT_{1}}$
$n_{1}=\frac{15\times 1.013\times 10^{5}\times 30\times 10^{-3}}{8.314\times 300}$
$ n_{1}=18.28$

Final volume, V2 = Volume of Cylinder = 30 l

Final Pressure P2 = 11 atm

Final Temperature T2 = 17 o C = 290 K

The final number of moles n2 inside the cylinder is

$n_{2}=\frac{P_{2}V_{2}}{RT_{2}}$
$n_{2}=\frac{11\times 1.013\times 10^{5}\times 30\times 10^{-3}}{8.314\times 290}$
$ n_{2}=13.86$

Moles of oxygen taken out of the cylinder = n 2 -n 1 = 18.28 - 13.86 = 4.42

Mass of oxygen taken out of the cylinder, m is

$\\m=4.42\times 32$
$ m=141.44g$

Q12.5 An air bubble of volume $1.0 cm^{3}$ rises from the bottom of a lake $40m$ deep at a temperature of $12^{0}C$. To what volume does it grow when it reaches the surface, which is at a temperature of $35^{0}C$?

Answer:

Initial Volume of the bubble, V1 = 1.0 cm 3

Initial temperature, T1 = 12 o C = 273 + 12 = 285 K

The density of water is $\rho _{w}=10^{3}\ kg\ m^{-3}$

Initial Pressure is P1

Depth of the bottom of the lake = 40 m

$\begin{aligned}
& P_1=\text { Atmospheric Pressure }+ \text { Pressure due to water } \\
& P_1=P_{a t m}+\rho_w g h \\
& P_1=1.013 \times 10^5+10^3 \times 9.8 \times 40 \\
& P_1=4.93 \times 10^5 \mathrm{~Pa}
\end{aligned}$

Final Temperature, T 2 = 35 o C = 35 + 273 = 308 K

Final Pressure = Atmospheric Pressure $=1.013\times 10^{5}Pa$

Let the final volume be V 2

As the number of moles inside the bubble remains constant, we have

$\\\frac{P_{1}V_{1}}{T_{1}}=\frac{P_{2}V_{2}}{T_{2}}\\$

$ V_{2}=\frac{P_{1}T_{2}V_{1}}{P_{2}T_{1}}\\ $

$V_{2}=\frac{4.93\times 10^{5}\times 308\times 1}{1.013\times 10^{5}\times 285}\\ $

$V_{2}=5.26\ cm^{3}$

Q12.6 Estimate the total number of air molecules (inclusive of oxygen, nitrogen, water vapour and other constituents) in a room of capacity $25.0m^{3}$ at a temperature of $27^{0}C$ and $1atm$ pressure.

Answer:

The volume of the room, V = 25.0 m 3

Temperature of the room, T = 27 o C = 300 K

The pressure inside the room, P = 1 atm

Let the number of moles of air molecules inside the room be n

$\begin{aligned}
& n=\frac{P V}{R T} \\
& n=\frac{1.013 \times 10^5 \times 25}{8.314 \times 300} \\
& n=1015.35
\end{aligned}$

Avogadro's Number, $N_A=6.022 \times 10^{23}$
The number of molecules inside the room is N

$\begin{aligned}
& N=n N_A \\
& N=1015.35 \times 6.022 \times 10^{23} \\
& N=6.114 \times 10^{26}
\end{aligned}$

Q12.7 Estimate the average thermal energy of a helium atom at (i) room temperature ( $27^{0}C$ ), (ii) the temperature on the surface of the Sun ( $6000K$ ), (iii) the temperature of $10$ million kelvin (the typical core temperature in the case of a star).

Answer:

The average energy of a Helium atom is given as $\frac{3kT}{2}$ since it is monoatomic

(i)

$\\E=\frac{3kT}{2}\\ $

$E=\frac{3\times 1.38\times 10^{-23}\times 300}{2}\\ $

$E=6.21\times 10^{-21}\ J$

(ii)

$\\E=\frac{3kT}{2}\\ $

$E=\frac{3\times 1.38\times 10^{-23}\times 6000}{2}\\ $

$E=1.242\times 10^{-19}\ J$

(iii)

$\\E=\frac{3kT}{2}\\$

$ E=\frac{3\times 1.38\times 10^{-23}\times10^{7}}{2}\\ $

$E=2.07\times 10^{-16}\ J$

Q12.8 Three vessels of equal capacity have gases at the same temperature and pressure. The first vessel contains neon (monatomic), the second contains chlorine (diatomic), and the third contains uranium hexafluoride (polyatomic). Do the vessels contain an equal number of respective molecules? Is the root mean square speed of molecules the same in the three cases? If not, in which case is v rms the largest?

Answer:

As per Avogadro's Hypothesis, under similar conditions of temperature and pressure, equal volumes of gases contain an equal number of molecules. Since the volume of the vessels is the same and all vessels are kept at the same conditions of pressure and temperature, they would contain an equal number of molecules.

Root mean square velocity is given as

$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{3kT}{m}}$

As we can see, vrms is inversely proportional to the square root of the molar mass; the root mean square velocity will be maximum in the case of Neon, as its molar mass is the least.

Q12.9 At what temperature is the root mean square speed of an atom in an argon gas cylinder equal to the rms speed of a helium gas atom at $-20^{0}C$? (atomic mass of $Ar=39.9\mu$ , of $He=4.0\mu$ ).

Answer:

As we know root mean square velocity is given as $v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{3RT}{M}}$

Let at temperature T the root mean square speed of an atom in an argon cylinder equal to the rms speed of a helium gas atom at $-20^{0}C$

$\sqrt{\frac{3R\times T}{39.9}}=\sqrt{\frac{3R\times 253}{4}}$

$ T=2523.7\ K$

Q12.10 Estimate the mean free path and collision frequency of a nitrogen molecule in a cylinder containing nitrogen at $2.0 atm$ and temperature $17^{0}C$. Take the radius of a nitrogen molecule to be roughly $1.0A$. Compare the collision time with the time the molecule moves freely between two successive collisions (Molecular mass of $N_{2}=28.0\mu$ ).

Answer:

Pressure, P = 2atm

Temperature, T = 17 o C

The radius of the Nitrogen molecule, r=1 Å.

The molecular mass of N 2 = 28 u

The molar mass of N 2 = 28 g

From the ideal gas equation

$\\PV=nRT\\ $

$\frac{n}{V}=\frac{P}{RT}\\$

The above tells us about the number of moles per unit volume; the number of molecules per unit volume would be given as

$\\n'=\frac{N_{A}n}{V}=\frac{6.022\times 10^{23}\times 2\times 1.013\times 10^{5}}{8.314\times (17+273)}\\ $

$n'=5.06\times 10^{25}$

The mean free path $\lambda$ is given as

$\\\lambda =\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}\pi n'd^{2}}\\$

$ \lambda =\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}\times \pi \times 5.06\times 10^{25}\times (2\times 1\times 10^{-10})^{2}}\\ $

$\lambda =1.11\times 10^{-7}\ m$

The root mean square velocity v rms is given as

$\\v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{3RT}{M}}\\ $

$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{3\times 8.314\times 290}{28\times 10^{-3}}}\\ $

$v_{rms}=508.26\ m\ s^{-1}$

The time between collisions T, is given as

$\\T=\frac{1}{Collision\ Frequency}\\ $

$T=\frac{1}{\nu }\\$

$ T=\frac{\lambda }{v_{rms}}\\ $

$T=\frac{1.11\times 10^{-7}}{508.26}\\ $

$T=2.18\times 10^{-10}s$

Collision time T' is equal to the average time taken by a molecule to travel a distance equal to its diameter

$\\T'=\frac{d}{v_{rms}}\\ $

$T'=\frac{2\times 1\times 10^{-10}}{508.26}\\ $

$T'=3.935\times 10^{-13}s$

The ratio of the average time between collisions to the collision time is

$
\begin{aligned}
\frac{T}{T^{\prime}} & =\frac{2.18 \times 10^{-10}}{3.935 \times 10^{-13}} \\
\frac{T}{T^{\prime}} & =554
\end{aligned}
$
Thus, we can see that the time between collisions is much larger than the collision time.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory - Additional Questions

The Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory Additional Questions have been provided to boost the problem-solving skills by discussing extra problems besides the NCERT textbook. The questions enhance an appreciation of such concepts as molecular motion, pressure of gases, mean free path, equipartition of energy, and are relevant in both board examinations and competitive entrance examinations such as JEE and NEET.

Q 1) A metre-long narrow bore held horizontally (and closed at one end) contains a $76 cm$ long mercury thread, which traps a $15 cm$ column of air. What happens if the tube is held vertically with the open end at the bottom?

Answer:

Initially, the pressure of the 15 cm long air column is equal to the atmospheric pressure, P 1 = 1 atm = 76 cm of Mercury

Let the cross-sectional area of the tube be x cm 2

The initial volume of the air column, V 1 = 15x cm 3

Let's assume that once the tube is held vertical, y cm of Mercury flows out of it.

The pressure of the air column after y cm of Mercury has flown out of the column P 2 = 76 - (76 - y) cm of Mercury = y cm of mercury

Final volume of air column V 2 = (24 + y)x cm 3

Since the temperature of the air column does not change

$\\P_{1}V_{1}=P_{2}V_{2}\\ 76\times 15x=y\times (24+y)x\\ 1140=y^{2}+24y\\ y^{2}+24y-1140=0$

Solving the above quadratic equation, we get y = 23.8 cm or y = -47.8 cm

Since a negative amount of mercury cannot flow out of the column, y cannot be negative. Therefore, y = 23.8 cm.

Length of the air column = y + 24 = 47.8 cm.

Therefore, once the tube is held vertically, 23.8 cm of Mercury flows out of it, and the length of the air column becomes 47.8 cm

Q 2) From a certain apparatus, the diffusion rate of hydrogen has an average value of $28.7cm^{3}s^{-1}$. The diffusion of another gas under the same conditions is measured to have an average rate of $7.2cm^{3}s^{-1}$. Identify the gas.

Answer:

As per Graham's Law of diffusion, if two gases of Molar Mass M 1 and M 2 diffuse with rates R 1 and R 2, respectively, their diffusion rates are related by the following equation

$\frac{R_{1}}{R_{2}}=\sqrt{\frac{M_{2}}{M_{1}}}$

In the given question

R 1 = 28.7 cm 3 s -1

R 2 = 7.2 cm 3 s -1

M 1 = 2 g

$\\M_{2}=M_{1}\left ( \frac{R_{1}}{R_{2}} \right )^{2}\\$

$M_{2}=2\times \left ( \frac{28.7}{7.2} \right )^{2}\\$

$M_{2}=31.78g$

The above Molar Mass is close to 32; therefore, the gas is Oxygen.

Q 3) A gas in equilibrium has uniform density and pressure throughout its volume. This is strictly true only if there are no external influences. A gas column under gravity, for example, does not have uniform density (and pressure). As you might expect, its density decreases with height. The precise dependence is given by the so-called law of atmospheres $n_{2}=n_{1}exp\left [ -mg(h_{2}-h_{1}) /k_{b}T\right ]$ where n2, n1 refer to number density at heights h2 and h1 respectively. Use this relation to derive the equation for the sedimentation equilibrium of a suspension in a liquid column: $n_{2}=n_{1}exp\left [ -mg N_{A}(\rho -\rho ^{'})(h_{2}-h_{1})/ (\rho RT)\right ]$ where $\rho$ is the density of the suspended particle, and $\rho ^{'}$, that of the surrounding medium. [ $N_{A}$ s Avogadro’s number, and R the universal gas constant.] [Hint: Use Archimedes' principle to find the apparent weight of the suspended particle.]

Answer:

$n_{2}=n_{1}exp\left [ -mg(h_{2}-h_{1}) /k_{b}T\right ]$ $(i)$

Let the suspended particles be spherical and have a radius r

The gravitational force acting on the suspended particles would be

$F_{G}=\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho g$

The buoyant force acting on them would be

$F_{B}=\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho' g$

The net force acting on the particles becomes

$\\F_{net}=F_{G}-F_{B}\\ $

$F_{net}=\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho g-\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho' g\\$

$F_{net}=\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}g(\rho -\rho ')$

Replacing mg in equation (i) with the above equation, we get

$\\n_{2}=n_{1}exp\left [ -\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}g(\rho -\rho ')(h_{2}-h_{1}) /k_{b}T\right ]\\$

$n_{2}=n_{1}exp\left [ \frac{-\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}g(\rho -\rho ')(h_{2}-h_{1})}{\frac{RT}{N_{A}}} \right ]\\ $

$n_{2}=n_{1}exp\left [ \frac{-mgN_{A}(\rho -\rho ')(h_{2}-h_{1})}{RT\rho '} \right ]$

The above is the equation to be derived

Q 4) Given below are densities of some solids and liquids. Give rough estimates of the size of their atoms :

Substance
Atomic Mass (u)
Density (10 3 Kg m-3 )
Carbon (diamond)
12.01
2.22
Gold
197
19.32
Nitrogen (liquid)
14.01
1
Lithium
6.94
0.53
Fluorine
19
1.14

Answer:

Let one mole of a substance of atomic radius r and density $\rho$ have molar mass M

Let us assume the atoms to be spherical

Avogadro's number is $N_{A}=6.022\times 10^{23}$

$\\N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho =M\\ r=\left ( \frac{3M}{4N_{A}\pi \rho } \right )^{\frac{1}{3}}$

For Carbon

$\\N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho =M\\ r=\left ( \frac{3\times 12.01}{4\times 6.022\times 10^{23}\times \pi\times 2.22\times 10^{3} } \right )^{\frac{1}{3}}\\ r=1.29$ Å.

For gold

$\\N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho =M\\ r=\left ( \frac{3\times 197.00}{4\times 6.022\times 10^{23}\times \pi\times 19.32\times 10^{3} } \right )^{\frac{1}{3}}\\ r=1.59$ Å.

For Nitrogen

$\\N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho =M\\ r=\left ( \frac{3\times 14.01}{4\times 6.022\times 10^{23}\times \pi\times 1.00\times 10^{3} } \right )^{\frac{1}{3}}\\ r=1.77$ Å.

For Lithium

$\\N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho =M\\ r=\left ( \frac{3\times 6.94}{4\times 6.022\times 10^{23}\times \pi\times 0.53\times 10^{3} } \right )^{\frac{1}{3}}\\ r=1.73$ Å.

For Fluorine

$\\N_{A}\frac{4}{3}\pi r^{3}\rho =M\\ r=\left ( \frac{3\times19.00}{4\times 6.022\times 10^{23}\times \pi\times 1.14\times 10^{3} } \right )^{\frac{1}{3}}\\ r=1.88 $ Å.


NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Questions

The HOTS questions of Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory aim at engaging students in the real-life application of the concept and solving the problems that challenge them beyond the core of the topic. These higher-order questions develop thinking, analytical and good conceptual clarity, which are the requirements of board examination as well as competitive examinations, such as JEE and NEET.

Q1:

Two moles of an ideal gas with $\frac{C_p}{C_v}=\frac{5}{3}$ are mixed 3 moles of another ideal gas with $\frac{C_p}{C_v}=\frac{4}{3}$. The value of $\frac{C_p}{C_v}$ for the mixture is:-

Answer:

For ideal gas:- $C_p-C_v=R$
For the first case:-

$
\frac{C_{p 1}}{C_{v 1}}=\frac{5}{3} \text { and } C_{p 1}-C_{v 1}=R
$


$
C_{p 1}=\frac{5}{3} C_{v 1} \text { and } \frac{5}{3} C_{v 1}-C_{v 1}=R$

$\Rightarrow \frac{2}{3} C_{v 1}=R$

$\Rightarrow C_{v 1}=\frac{3}{2} R
$

${ }_{\text {So, }} C_{p 1}=\frac{5}{2} R$
For the second case:-

$
\frac{C_{p 2}}{C_{v 2}}=\frac{4}{3} \text { and } C_{p 2}-C_{v 2}=R \\$

$C_{p 2}=\frac{4}{3} C_{v 2} \text { and } \frac{4}{3} C_{v 2}-C_{v 2}=R$

$\Rightarrow C_{v 2}=3 R{ } \ {\text {and }} C_{p 2}=4 R \\$

$ Y_{\text {mix }}=\frac{n_1 C_{p 1}+n_2 C_{p 2}}{n_1 C_{v 1}+n_2 C_{v 2}}=\frac{2 \times \frac{5}{2} R+3 \times 4 R}{2 \times \frac{3}{2} R+3 \times 3 R}=1.417=1.42$


Q2:

If temperature of the atmosphere varies with height as $\mathrm{T}=\left(\mathrm{T}_0-\mathrm{ah}\right)$, where a and $\mathrm{T}_0$ are positive constants, then the pressure as a function of height $h$ is (assume atmospheric pressure at sea level ( $\mathrm{h}=0$ ) is ${P_0}$ and molecule mass M of the air and acceleration due to gravity g be constant)

Answer:

$
\frac{\mathrm{dP}}{\mathrm{dh}}=-\rho \mathrm{g}=-\left(\frac{\mathrm{PM}}{\mathrm{RT}}\right) \mathrm{g}=-\left[\frac{\mathrm{PM}}{\mathrm{R}\left(\mathrm{~T}_0-\mathrm{ah}\right)}\right] g
$


$
\frac{\mathrm{dP}}{\mathrm{P}}=-\left(\frac{\mathrm{Mg}}{\mathrm{R}}\right) \frac{\mathrm{dh}}{\mathrm{~T}_0-\mathrm{ah}}
$


$
\int_{P_0}^{\mathrm{P}} \frac{\mathrm{dP}}{\mathrm{P}}=-\left(\frac{\mathrm{Mg}}{\mathrm{R}}\right) \int_0^{\mathrm{h}} \frac{\mathrm{dh}}{\left(\mathrm{~T}_0-\mathrm{ah}\right)}
$


$
\mathrm{P}=\mathrm{P}_0\left(\frac{\mathrm{~T}_0-\mathrm{ah}}{\mathrm{~T}_0}\right)^{\frac{\mathrm{M}_{\mathrm{s}}}{\mathrm{Ra}}}
$


Q3:

In two jars A and B, the pressure, volume and temperature in jar A are respectively P, V, and T, and those of B are 2P, V/4 and 2T. Then the ratio of the number of molecules in jars A and B will be,

Answer:

$\begin{aligned} & \frac{N_A}{N_B}=\frac{P_A V_A}{P_B P_B} \times \frac{T_B}{T_A} \\ & \frac{N_A}{N_B}=\frac{P \times V \times(2 T)}{2 P \times \frac{V}{4} \times T}=\frac{4}{1}\end{aligned}$


Q4:

The temperature of an open room of volume 30 m3 increases from 17 °C to 27oC due to the sunshine. The atmospheric pressure in the room remains 1×105 Pa. If $n_i$ and $n_f$ are the number of molecules in the room before and after heating, then $n_f-n_i$ will be :

Answer:

PV = nRT

$\begin{aligned} & \Rightarrow n_i=\frac{P V}{R T_i}, \quad n_f=\frac{P V}{R T_f} \\ & \Rightarrow n_f-n_i=\frac{P V}{R}\left(\frac{1}{T_f}-\frac{1}{T_i}\right)=\frac{10^5 \times 30}{8.31} \times\left(\frac{1}{300}-\frac{1}{290}\right) \\ & n_f-n_i=\frac{10^5 \times 30}{8.31} \times \frac{-10}{300 \times 290}=\frac{-10^5}{290 \times 8.31} \\ & \text { Change in the Number of molecules }=\frac{-10^5 \times 6.023 \times 10^{23}}{290 \times 8.31}=-2.5 \times 10^{25}\end{aligned}$


Q5:

A gas mixture contains 3 moles of oxygen and x moles of monoatomic gas at temperature T. Considering only translational and rotational but not vibrational modes, the total energy of the system is 15 RT, then the value of x is.

Answer:

$U=\frac{n f}{2} R T$

According to the question,

$\begin{aligned} 15 R T & =3 \times \frac{5}{2} R T+x \times \frac{3}{2} R T \\ 15 & =\frac{15}{2}+\frac{3 x}{2} \\ x & =5\end{aligned}$


Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Topics

The Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory examines how the behaviour of gases can be considered at the molecular level, in which the behaviour at the microscopic level is related to the macroscopic behaviour in the form of pressure, volume and temperature. The chapter addresses all the basic assumptions of kinetic theory, derivations and applications that describe real-life phenomena like diffusion and pressure of gases. Knowledge of these topics not only enhances clarity in concepts but also equips students to board examinations and other competitive exams such as JEE and NEET.

12.1 Introduction
12.2 Molecular Nature Of Matter
12.3 Behaviour Of Gases
12.4 Kinetic Theory Of An Ideal Gas
12.4.1 Pressure Of An Ideal Gas
12.4.2 Kinetic Interpretation Of Temperature
12.5 Law Of Equipartition Of Energy
12.6 Specific Heat Capacity
12.6.1 Monatomic Gases
12.6.2 Diatomic Gases
12.6.3 Polyatomic Gases
12.6.4 Specific Heat Capacity Of Solids
12.7 Mean Free Path

Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory: Important Formulae

Kinetic Theory NCERT Solutions- Important Formulae contain important equations that describe the behaviour of the molecular motion in relation to the macroscopic properties of gas, such as pressure, temperature and volume. With the help of these formulas, students can solve numerical problems and see a correlation between the behaviour of microscopic particles and the observed physical phenomena.

1. Ideal Gas Equation

$
P V=n R T
$

Where:

$
\begin{aligned}
& P=\text { pressure }, \\
& V=\text { volume }, \\
& n=\text { number of moles }, \\
& R=\text { universal gas constant }, \\
& T=\text { temperature (in Kelvin) }
\end{aligned}
$

2. Average Kinetic Energy per Molecule

$
K E_{\mathrm{avg}}=\frac{3}{2} k T
$
Where $k=$ Boltzmann constant, $T=$ temperature in Kelvin

3. Total Kinetic Energy of Gas

$K E_{\text {total }}=\frac{3}{2} n R T$

4. Pressure of Ideal Gas from Kinetic Theory

$
P=\frac{1}{3} \rho \bar{v}^2
$
Where $\rho=$ mass per unit volume, $\bar{v}^2=$ mean square speed

5. Root Mean Square Speed

$
v_{\mathrm{rms}}=\sqrt{\frac{3 k T}{m}}=\sqrt{\frac{3 R T}{M}}
$
Where:
$m=$ mass of one molecule,
$M=$ molar mass

7. Relation Between Different Speeds

$
v_{\text {rms }}>v_{\text {avg }}>v_{\text {mp }}
$
Where:
- $v_{\mathrm{rms}}=\sqrt{\frac{3 R T}{M}}$
- $v_{\mathrm{avg}}=\sqrt{\frac{8 R T}{\pi M}}$
- $v_{\mathrm{mp}}=\sqrt{\frac{2 R T}{M}}$

8. Degrees of Freedom and Energy

$
E=\frac{f}{2} k T \text { per molecule }
$
Where $f=$ degrees of freedom

$
E_{\text {total }}=\frac{f}{2} n R T \text { for } n \text { moles }
$

Approach to Solve Questions of the Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 - Kinetic Theory

The Kinetic Theory of Gases has several assumptions, equations and derivations that must be understood clearly to solve some of its questions. Students are expected to learn formulas not by memorization, but to work out the logical application of formulas and interpret physical meaning underlying a formula. Organized planning assists in dealing with numerical and conceptual issues with ease.

  • Start with the revision of the fundamental postulates of the kinetic theory, including the following: gases consist of small particles in a state of perpetual random motion, the volume is insignificant, and collisions are perfectly elastic. These assumptions assist you in relating concepts to formulas.

  • Determine whether the problem is based on the derivation of pressure, mean free path, root mean square (rms) velocity or laws, such as Boyle and Charles. Saving time is achieved through categorizing and guides to the correct formula.

  • Don’t just apply formulas like $P=\frac{1}{3} \rho c^2$ or $v_{r m s}=\sqrt{\frac{3 k T}{m}} ;$ consider what they are, relation of pressure with molecular movement or temperature with speed of particles.

  • Begin with familiar values and change all the units into SI and then carefully replace them in the equation. Always verify dimensional consistency- it means that it is accurate.

  • Reasoning is involved in many questions such as pressure-temperature or volume-temperature graphs. Explanations are better understood and remembered through graphs.

  • Derivations such as the pressure exerted by the gas molecules, mean free path and degrees of freedom are common questions. The conceptual power is developed through writing them step by step.


How Can NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 12 Kinetic Theory Help in Exam Preparation?

Kinetic Theory class 11 question answers help students build a clear understanding of how gases behave at the molecular level, which is essential for both conceptual and numerical questions in exams. Such Kinetic Theory class 11 question answers break down complex concepts such as pressure, temperature, mean free path, and the law of equipartition of energy into simple explanations so that students can be able to relate microscopic motion with macroscopic properties. With the help of these questions, students are well equipped to solve problems through derivations and numericals, which are often encountered in CBSE, JEE and NEET examinations. The solutions also focus on the connection between the kinetic energy and temperature to allow the students to imagine the way gas behaves in the real world. The frequent use of these NCERT solutions will boost student confidence, increase their ability to use the laws of gases and give them a solid background on other areas of physics and thermodynamics in higher classes.

What Extra Should Students Study Beyond NCERT for JEE/NEET?

NCERT textbooks are almost a must-have in studying and preparing competitive exams such as JEE and NEET, but are definitely lacking in preparing the numericals, tricky applications and deeper conceptual advancement. This is a list of what NCERT does not cover and what additional students are expected to learn in the chapter Kinetic Theory of Gases in preparation for JEE/NEET

Concept NameJEENCERT
States Of Matter
Kinetic Theory Of Gases Assumptions
The Gas Laws
Ideal Gas Equation
Real Gas And Equation
Pressure Of An Ideal Gas
The Maxwell Distribution Laws
Degree Of Freedom
Kinetic Energy Of Ideal Gas
Mean Free Path
Specific Heat Of A Gas
Mayer's Formula

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter-Wise

Chapter-wise links of NCERT Solutions Class 11 provide an easy way to access all chapters at one stop. These solutions are aimed at allowing students to easily get explanations, solved exercises, vital formulas, and additional questions to each chapter and therefore making exam preparation and concept reviewing easier and organised.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Subject Wise

Also, check NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus here

Subject-wise NCERT Exemplar solutions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Which mistakes are frequently made when solving Kinetic Theory problems?
A:

Common mistakes include applying calculations incorrectly and ignoring ideal gas assumptions. These mistakes can be avoided by going over the NCERT solutions.

Q: How is Chapter 12 helped by NCERT Solutions?
A:

In order to provide efficient learning and exam preparation, NCERT Solutions for Chapter 12 offer thorough explanations, methodical problem-solving strategies, and clarified concepts.

Q: Will the NCERT solutions be available in PDF format?
A:

Yes, NCERT chapter-wise solutions can be found in PDF format and can be easily studied offline anytime, anywhere.

Q: Are all chapters of Class 11 Physics covered in these solutions?
A:

They contain all chapters of the Mechanics to the Kinetic Theory with solved exercises, HOTS questions and additional questions and formulas.

Q: What are chapter wise solutions of NCERT Class 11 Physics?
A:

These are step-by-step solutions accompanying every exercise, HOTS, and other questions in the NCERT textbooks that allow students to comprehend new information in a proper way.

Q: Why is NCERT chapter wise solutions useful in exam preparation?
A:

They mainly consist of step-wise descriptions, crucial formulas and illustrated solutions that make studying easier, which makes it easy to revise and obtain a good score both in the board as

Q: Can these solutions be of use in JEE and NEET preparation?
A:

They do reinforce the essential ideas in Physics, upon which the questions are set in JEE, NEET and other such competitive tests.

Articles
Upcoming School Exams
Ongoing Dates
Maharashtra SSC Board Application Date

15 Sep'25 - 17 Nov'25 (Online)