Activity Number 219
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	Overview and Learning Objectives
	Classroom Practice
	Central Concepts
	Macro Micro Link
	Activity Credits
	Requirements

Modeling a Gas: Thermal Equilibrium

Interactive, scaffolded model

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Java 1.4+ - Java 1.4+ is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X 10.3 and greater.

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	Overview and Learning Objectives Students will be able to: Demonstrate, using a computer model, that all initial states result in a similar equilibrium distribution of kinetic energies of atoms. Predict what will happen given some random initial state of a computer model depicting a gas at the atomic level. Describe what it means to be in a state of thermal equilibrium. Define general equilibrium in very simple terms. return to top



	Classroom Practice Classroom support is available at: http://www.concord.org/~barbara/workbench_web/unit1/index.html and http://www.concord.org/~barbara/workbench_web/unit1/1-07ModelingAGas.html return to top



	Central Concepts Key Concept: Continual movement of atoms results in motion that looks random and causes kinetic energy to be distributed evenly among the atoms in a gas. Additional Related Concepts return to top



	Macro Micro Link Using the models in this activity students will begin to get an idea of how the air in the hot air balloon is behaving. return to top



	Activity Credits Created by CC Project: Molecular Workbench using Molecular Workbench + Pedagogica return to top



	Requirements Java 1.4+ - Java 1.4+ is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X 10.3 and greater. return to top

These materials are based upon work supported
by the National Science Foundation under grant numbers
9980620, ESI-0242701 and EIA-0219345

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the National Science Foundation.

Modeling a Gas: Thermal Equilibrium

Overview and Learning Objectives

Classroom Practice

Central Concepts

Additional Related Concepts

Macro Micro Link

Activity Credits

Requirements