Do ideal gas particles have zero potential energy?

For the following reasons, ideal gas particles have no potential energy. (1): The ideal gas molecules are point like, perfectly rigid particles without internal structure. (2): The actual volume occupied by the molecules is extremely small compared to the volume of the container. read more

If there is no force between objects, there is no potential energy. One of the assumptions about an ideal gas is that there are no forces between the particles - so there is no potential energy stored. (A real gas doesn't behave like an ideal gas for several reasons. read more

So it does not take energy for the molecules of an ideal gas to separate from each other. This means that the internal energy consists only of kinetic energy (no potential energy). Real gases may consist of molecules that have attractive forces. read more