A uniform mixture of two gases, initially with each component at different temperatures, is studied with regard to the equilibration of the temperatures. The extent of the perturbation of the velocity distribution functions of both components during the relaxation to equilibrium is determined. In this calculation it is assumed that the collision rate between unlike particles is much slower than either of the two collision rates between like particles and that a steady state is established quickly before substantial equilibration occurs. With this assumption the Boltzmann equations are linearized and uncoupled, the correction to the equilibrium rate of temperature relaxation is calculated, and the departure from equilibrium is determined. With the hardhyphen;sphere interaction for all binary elastic collisions, the magnitude of the deviations from equilibrium is determined as a function of the masses, concentrations, and initial temperatures of the two components.
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