logo
Products
Technologies
Applications
Services
Resources
Selection Guides
About
How do I find the average kinetic energy?
Posted February 1, 2024

Answer

The average kinetic energy can be calculated through several different methods. If provided with temperature, it can be determined using the equation KE = (3/2)RT. Alternatively, if given velocity, the average kinetic energy can be found using the equation KE = (1/2)mv^2.

In KE = (3/2)RT: KE stands for the average kinetic energy of particles in a system. R represents the gas constant (ideal gas constant: 8.314 J/(mol*K) or 0.0821 L·atm/(mol·K)). T represents the temperature in Kelvin (K). In KE = (1/2)mv^2: KE still represents the average kinetic energy of particles in a system. m stands for the mass of the particle v stands for the velocity of the particle.