The invention relates to a method for tracing a source of gas leakage by virtue of a mobile robot. The method comprises the following steps: producing a mobile robot with a Linux embedded system, a single chip microcomputer system, a wireless communication function, a camera and a holder thereof, a sensor, a motor controlled speed adjusting driving function, a power supply function, a map, a locating function and a wireless communication function; introducing a field gas concentration value detected by the sensor as a known parameter into a gas diffusion model on the robot, and carrying out embedding source tracking calculation by virtue of an artificial intelligence method; and positioning a calculated leakage source position and navigating, enabling the robot to move towards a target position and photographing a leakage source and periphery conditions after the robot arrives the target position, and sending back pictures and source strength information by virtue of a wireless network. According to the method, the source tracking calculation time can be shortened, the position information of the leakage source can be determined accurately, and the leakage source condition can be fed back in real time; and meanwhile, by virtue of mobile property of the robot, the proper number of sensors to be distributed can be determined.