---
title: "A student investigates heat transfer between two isolated gas samples. A rigid container with insulated outer walls is divided into two equal halves by a fixed, thermally conductive barrier that does not allow gas particles to cross. Compartment \\(1\\) contains \\(\\text{Ne}(g)\\) at an initial temperature of \\(600\\text{ K}\\), and Compartment \\(2\\) contains an equal number of moles of \\(\\text{Ne}(g)\\) at an initial temperature of \\(200\\text{ K}\\). The initial state of the system is shown in the diagram, where the length of each arrow represents the relative speed of the atom.  Which of the following particulate diagrams best represents the system after thermal equilibrium has been established between the two compartments?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123764/"
date_modified: "2026-09-28T12:29:59+00:00"
---

# A student investigates heat transfer between two isolated gas samples. A rigid container with insulated outer walls is divided into two equal halves by a fixed, thermally conductive barrier that does not allow gas particles to cross. Compartment \(1\) contains \(\text{Ne}(g)\) at an initial temperature of \(600\text{ K}\), and Compartment \(2\) contains an equal number of moles of \(\text{Ne}(g)\) at an initial temperature of \(200\text{ K}\). The initial state of the system is shown in the diagram, where the length of each arrow represents the relative speed of the atom.

Which of the following particulate diagrams best represents the system after thermal equilibrium has been established between the two compartments?

A student investigates heat transfer between two isolated gas samples. A rigid container with insulated outer walls is divided into two equal halves by a fixed, thermally conductive barrier that does not allow gas particles to cross. Compartment \(1\) contains \(\text{Ne}(g)\) at an initial temperature of \(600\text{ K}\), and Compartment \(2\) contains an equal number of moles of \(\text{Ne}(g)\) at an initial temperature of \(200\text{ K}\). The initial state of the system is shown in the diagram, where the length of each arrow represents the relative speed of the atom.

Which of the following particulate diagrams best represents the system after thermal equilibrium has been established between the two compartments?

![A rectangular box is divided into two equal-sized left and right compartments by a vertical solid line labeled "Conducting wall". A legend at the top reads: open white circle = Ne atom, arrow length = relative speed. The left compartment is labeled "Compartment 1 (600 K)" and contains exactly 4 open white circles representing Ne atoms, evenly dispersed. Each circle has a straight black arrow pointing outward in a random direction; all 4 arrows are long (length equal to 25% of compartment width). The right compartment is labeled "Compartment 2 (200 K)" and contains exactly 4 open white circles representing Ne atoms, evenly dispersed. Each circle has a straight black arrow pointing outward in a random direction; all 4 arrows are short (length equal to 8% of compartment width). No other particles, labels, text, or annotations appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1790598598-4vuI3P.jpg)

- **A.** Diagram A
- **B.** Diagram B
- **C.** Diagram C
- **D.** Diagram D

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/123764/*