What happens when two atoms collide?

1 Answer
Jun 18, 2018

Should not the collision be elastic at least where the atoms are gaseous...?

Explanation:

...that involves NO LOSS of kinetic energy. And such collisions give rise to the macroscopic phenomenon of pressure.

And such elastic collisions underlie the kinetic-molecular gas theory, which allows for state functions relating temperature, pressure, and volume, for a given quantity of gas..