Molecular Motion Simulator

The molecular motion simulator uses ball bearings or small steel balls on a vibrating plate to model the behavior of gas molecules. When placed on an overhead projector, the vibrations of the plate cause the balls to move in random directions, simulating the erratic motion of molecules in a gas. As the balls collide with each other and the walls of the container, they demonstrate principles of kinetic theory, including the effects of temperature and pressure on molecular motion. Increasing the vibration intensity simulates an increase in temperature, causing the balls to move faster and collide more frequently, thereby increasing the pressure if the volume is kept constant. This setup effectively visualizes concepts such as molecular collisions, pressure, temperature, and energy distribution within a gas.