the equation of state of the perfect gas. The root-mean-square speed is u=⟨v2⟩=3kBT/m=3RT/M, M the molar mass.
The Clapeyron diagram of a perfect gas: at each temperature the isotherm is a hyperbola P=nRT/V, higher for higher T. A transformation is a path in this plane; a cycle, a closed loop (Chapter 24).
Examples
Example 20.8(Numbers for air)
Nitrogen at 300K: u=3×8.314×300/0.028=517m/s; hydrogen, 1930m/s; the heavier the slower, as 1/M. At 1bar and 300K, n∗=P/kBT=2.4×1025m−3: 24L per mole, 2.7×1022 molecules in a liter. A classroom of 200m3: 8300mol, 240kg of air.