Abstract
The kinetic theory of the classical perfect gas (largely due to Maxwell and Boltzmann) was the first statistical theory to be introduced into physics. The equilibrium results of kinetic theory can now all be obtained as special cases of the general results of statistical mechanics obtained in chapter 7 but the detailed nature of the kinetic theory can give added insight into processes such as the pressure exerted by a gas on the wall of a container. The kinetic theory approach can also be extended to non-equilibrium situations and, as shown in the next chapter, may be used to calculate the transport coefficients (thermal conductivity, coefficient of viscosity, etc.) of a perfect gas. The kinetic theory of the perfect gas is of great importance in applied physics because the results are directly relevant to real gases at low pressure as in vacuum systems, the upper atmosphere and space research.
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