Question:
A vessel of volume V contains a mixture of 1 mole of hydrogen and 1 mole of oxygen. Let f1(v)dv, denote the fraction of molecules with speed between v and (v + dv) with f2(v)dv similarly for oxygen. Then
(a) f1(v) + f2(v) = f(v) obeys the Maxwell’s distribution law
(b) f1(v), f2(v) will obey the Maxwell’s distribution law separately
(c) neither f1(v) nor f2(v) will obey the Maxwell’s distribution law
(d) f2(v) and f1(v) will be the same
Solution:
The correct answer is b) f1(v), f2(v) will obey the Maxwell’s distribution law separately