Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution: Problem Solving01:20

Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution: Problem Solving

3.2K
Individual molecules in a gas move in random directions, but a gas containing numerous molecules has a predictable distribution of molecular speeds, which is known as the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, f(v).
This distribution function f(v) is defined by saying that the expected number N (v1,v2) of particles with speeds between v1 and v2 is given by
3.2K
Distribution of Molecular Speeds01:27

Distribution of Molecular Speeds

6.0K
The motion of molecules in a gas is random in magnitude and direction for individual molecules, but a gas of many molecules has a predictable distribution of molecular speeds. This predictable distribution of molecular speeds is known as the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. The distribution of molecular speeds in liquids is comparable to that of gases but not identical and can help to understand the phenomenon of the boiling and vapor pressure of a liquid. Consider that a molecule requires a...
6.0K
The Kinetic Model of Gases01:24

The Kinetic Model of Gases

133
The kinetic model of gases explains the properties of a perfect gas using three main assumptions: molecules move in ceaseless random motion, their size is negligible compared to the distances between them, and they do not interact except during perfectly elastic collisions. The total energy of a gas is the sum of the kinetic energies of all its constituent molecules. The pressure exerted by the gas arises from the continual bombardment of the container walls by billions of colliding molecules.
133
Equilibrium Conditions for a Particle01:23

Equilibrium Conditions for a Particle

2.6K
When an object is in equilibrium, it is either at rest or moving with a constant velocity. There are two types of equilibrium: static and dynamic. Static equilibrium occurs when an object is at rest, while dynamic equilibrium occurs when an object is moving with a constant velocity. In both cases, there must be a balance of forces acting on the object.
To understand the concept of equilibrium, let us first consider the forces acting on an object. When different forces act on an object, they can...
2.6K
Motion Of A Charged Particle In A Magnetic Field01:22

Motion Of A Charged Particle In A Magnetic Field

8.3K
A charged particle experiences a force when moving through a magnetic field. Consider the field to be uniform and the charged particle to move perpendicular to it. If the field is in a vacuum, the magnetic field is the dominant factor determining the motion. Since the magnetic force is perpendicular to the direction of motion, a charged particle follows a curved path. The particle continues to follow this curved path until it forms a complete circle. Another way to look at this is that the...
8.3K
Maxwell's Equation Of Electromagnetism01:29

Maxwell's Equation Of Electromagnetism

4.5K
James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) was one of the major contributors to physics in the nineteenth century. Although he died young, he made major contributions to the development of the kinetic theory of gases, to the understanding of color vision, and to understanding the nature of Saturn's rings. He is probably best known for having combined existing knowledge on the laws of electricity and magnetism with his insights into a complete overarching electromagnetic theory, which is...
4.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Observation of super-ballistic Brownian motion in liquid.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Linearly polarized excitation enhances signals from fluorescent voltage indicators.

Biophysical journal·2021
Same author

Photoactivated voltage imaging in tissue with an archaerhodopsin-derived reporter.

Science advances·2021
Same author

Monitoring damage of self-assembled monolayers using metastable excited helium atoms.

The Journal of chemical physics·2021
Same author

Remote structuring of near-field landscapes.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2020
Same author

All-Optical Electrophysiology Reveals the Role of Lateral Inhibition in Sensory Processing in Cortical Layer 1.

Cell·2020
Same journal

Denoising algorithm of Φ-OTDR systems based on adaptive fractional wavelet transform denoising.

Optics express·2026
Same journal

Millisecond photon-to-photon latency and high-speed volumetric projection system for optogenetics.

Optics express·2026
Same journal

Polarization-encoded coaxial structured light for high-precision 3D surface profilometry.

Optics express·2026
Same journal

Discrete freeform optical design based on collaborative optimization of point cloud and local normals.

Optics express·2026
Same journal

Ultrafast ghost imaging with 25 GHz speckle switching and wavelength-division multiplexing.

Optics express·2026
Same journal

Atomic vapor cells fabricated by femtosecond laser welding of standard-optical-quality glass.

Optics express·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
11:03

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

9.1K

Testing the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution using Brownian particles.

Jianyong Mo, Akarsh Simha, Simon Kheifets

    Optics Express
    |April 4, 2015
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    We measured the velocity distribution of a Brownian particle using shot-noise limited optical tweezers. Our findings verify a modified Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, accounting for liquid displacement effects.

    More Related Videos

    Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles
    08:39

    Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles

    Published on: October 16, 2017

    13.3K
    Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules
    10:20

    Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules

    Published on: September 5, 2019

    8.9K

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Apr 15, 2026

    An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
    11:03

    An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

    Published on: December 4, 2017

    9.1K
    Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles
    08:39

    Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles

    Published on: October 16, 2017

    13.3K
    Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules
    10:20

    Single-Molecule Tracking Microscopy - A Tool for Determining the Diffusive States of Cytosolic Molecules

    Published on: September 5, 2019

    8.9K

    Area of Science:

    • Statistical Mechanics
    • Soft Matter Physics
    • Optical Tweezers

    Background:

    • Brownian motion describes the random movement of particles suspended in a fluid.
    • The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution typically models particle velocities in equilibrium.
    • Understanding particle dynamics is crucial in soft matter and biophysics.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To perform shot-noise limited measurements of a Brownian particle's instantaneous velocity distribution.
    • To experimentally verify modified statistical mechanics theorems accounting for fluid-particle interactions.
    • To investigate deviations from standard models due to displaced fluid kinetic energy.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilizing an optical tweezer setup to trap a single micron-sized glass sphere.
    • Conducting measurements in a liquid environment at room temperature and equilibrium.
    • Achieving shot-noise limited detection for precise velocity measurements.

    Main Results:

    • Directly verified a modified Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution.
    • Confirmed a modified energy equipartition theorem including displaced liquid kinetic energy.
    • Demonstrated measurement accuracy over six orders of magnitude in count-rate and five standard deviations in velocity.

    Conclusions:

    • The study validates theoretical modifications to classical statistical mechanics for confined Brownian particles.
    • Optical tweezers provide a powerful tool for probing fundamental physics at the microscale.
    • Accurate characterization of particle velocity distributions is essential for understanding complex fluid dynamics.