File:Translational motion.gif

The randomized thermal vibrations of fundamental particles such as atoms and molecules—gives a substance its “kinetic temperature.” Here, the size of helium atoms relative to their spacing is shown to scale under 1950 atmospheres of pressure. These room-temperature atoms have a certain, average speed (slowed down here two trillion fold). At any given instant however, a particular helium atom may be moving much faster than average while another may be nearly motionless. The rebound kinetics of elastic collisions are accurately modeled here. If the velocities over time are plotted on a histogram, a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve will be generated. Five atoms are colored red to facilitate following their motions.