Question 6 of 9intermediate🔧 ApplyNumerical3 marks

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

(i)
Answer

6.21×106.21 \times 10⁻²¹ J

(ii)
Answer

1.24×101.24 \times 10⁻¹⁹ J

(iii)
Answer

2.07×102.07 \times 10⁻¹⁶ J

Explanation

The question tests understanding of kinetic theory. The context clearly states that the average kinetic energy (per molecule) of any ideal gas is always equal to (3/2)kBT, depending only on temperature and independent of the nature of the gas. Since helium is monatomic, this translational kinetic energy represents the total thermal energy. Students must remember to convert temperature from Celsius to Kelvin for part (i).

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