Question Details

The dimensional formula for Boltzmann's constant is

Options

A

[ML²T⁻²θ⁻¹]

B

[ML²T⁻²]

C

[ML⁰T⁻²θ⁻¹]

D

[ML⁻²T⁻¹θ⁻¹]

Correct Answer :

[ML²T⁻²θ⁻¹]

Solution :

The correct option is [ML²T⁻²θ⁻¹].

To find the dimensional formula of Boltzmann's constant (kB), we can use the relation for the kinetic energy of a gas molecule:

E=32kBT

Where:
- E is the kinetic energy of the molecule
- kB is the Boltzmann's constant
- T is the absolute temperature

Rearranging the equation to solve for kB:

kB=2E3T

Since numerical fractions like 23 are dimensionless, the dimensions of Boltzmann's constant are given by:

[kB]=[E][T]

Next, we determine the dimensions of each quantity:
1. Energy (E) has the same dimensions as work (Force × Displacement):
[E]=[ML2T-2]

2. Temperature (T) is a fundamental quantity denoted by [θ] (or [K]):
[T]=[θ]

Substituting these dimensions into the expression for [kB]:

[kB]=[ML2T-2][θ]=[ML2T-2θ-1]

Therefore, the dimensional formula for Boltzmann's constant is [ML2T-2θ-1].

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