  By means of a scaling ansatz, we investigate an approximated solution of the
Boltzmann-Vlasov equation for a classical gas. Within this framework, we derive
the frequencies and the damping of the collective oscillations of a
harmonically trapped gas and we investigate its expansion after release of the
trap. The method is well suited to studying the collisional effects taking
place in the system and in particular to discussing the crossover between the
hydrodynamic and the collisionless regimes. An explicit link between the
relaxation times relevant for the damping of the collective oscillations and
for the expansion is established.
