dilute gas theory

Dilute gas theory describes gases where particles are spread far apart and interact infrequently. In this state, the particles move randomly and their collisions are mostly elastic, meaning they bounce off each other without losing energy. Because the gas is dilute, the particles' behavior can be approximated by ideal models that ignore interactions beyond simple collisions. This facilitates understanding properties like pressure, temperature, and volume, and allows scientists to make accurate predictions using the ideal gas law. In essence, it simplifies the complex behavior of gases by assuming particles are separate and mainly collide elastically.