Gasses

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Skills tested by this Quiz

Identify the theory applicable to each problem, and calculate the desirable quantity from a given set of conditions.

Properties of Gases

Quiz tests your comprehension and abbility to apply the following topics to solve problems.

Gases - the gaseous state of matter
Gas laws - the ABCD- gas laws
Ideal gas law - a summary of gas laws
Gas kinetics - motion of gas molecules
Gas & stiochiometry - stoichiometry problems involving gases
A brief review is again here, but it is your responsibility to identify the theory applicable to each problem, and calculate the desirable quantity from a given set of conditions. There are always more than one way to solve a problem, and a logical approach is a useful skill in itself. It is the process of problem solving, not the result, that is useful to you.

Common gas properties

Gas is a state of matter. In this state, all substances behave alike. The properties of gaseous state are:

Amount of gas in moles, n, number of molecules, mass, and volume.
The pressure, P, exerted to the walls of the container by gas molecules or by the wall to contain the gas to a fixed volume V.
The temperature, T, which is a measure of the kinetic energy of the molecules.
The volume, V, occupied by a gas at temperature T, under the pressure P.
The average kinetic energy of a gas, and the root mean square speed of gas molecules.

These properties are often expressed in various units, and ability to convert units from one to another is always required.

Gas laws - some key equations

You are expected to have mastered the ABCD laws of gases.

You should use the proper units for pressure, P, volume V, and temperature T. Letters i and f following these quantities refer to the initial and final states respectively. A summary of key equations is given below, but you should be able to derive one from each other, and understand the system from which these formulas apply.

Boyle's Law

P_i V_i = k (k is a constant)
P_i V_i = P_f V_f

Charles Law

T = 273.15 + t^C

     V_i     V_f
     --  =  --  = k
     T_i     T_f

     P_i     P_f
     --  =  --  = k
     T_i     T_f

The ideal gas law

P V = n R T where

   R = (1 atm 22.4 L)/(1 mol 273.15 K)
     = 0.082058 L atm / (mol K)
     = 8.3145 J / (mol K)

Avogadros law and gas density

n = P V / R T

          n M
   P M =  --- R T  --  where M is the molecular weight of the gas
           V

P V = n R T -- Ideal gas equation
P = d R T / M -- where d is the density of the gas
d = P M / R T -- density of gas is given by this equation
M = d R T / P -- hence, the Molecular Weight of a gas is given by this.

Dalton's law of partial pressures

If P_total is the total pressure of a gas mixture, P_a , P_b , P_c , ... are partial pressures of gas A, B, C, ..., then

P_total = P_a + P_b + P_c + ... If n_total is the total number of mole, and n_a , n_b , n_c , ... are number of moles of gas A, B, C, ..., then n_total = n_a + n_b + n_c ...

    n_t R T  = P V 

        = (n_a + n_b + n_c + ...) R T

        = P_a + P_b + P_c +  ...

Mole fraction

The mole fraction of a gas A, x_a in a system containing n_total mole of gas is x_a = n_a / n_total

Non ideal behavior of gas

The ideal gas law has a limited precision for predicting the properties of gases. The imprecision is known as the non-ideal behavior of gas, and the van der Waals equation

(P + n²a / V²) (V - n b) = n R T, has been introduced to deal with non-ideal behavior of gases, in Ideal gas law. For practical application in chemical manufacturing process and in chemical reactions, the non-ideality has to be taken into account. For these applications, other methods of correction to the ideal gas law are also used.

Practice Questions

What is the variable P stand for in the ideal gas law, P V = n R T?
Skill:
Describe the ideal gas law.
If 0.40 and 0.10 mol of N₂ and O₂ are enclosed in a 2-liter container at a temperature of 311 K. What is the pressure?
Skill:
Apply the ideal gas law to solve a problem.
If 0.40 and 0.10 mol of N₂ and O₂ are enclosed in a 2-liter container at a temperature of 311 K. What is the partial pressure of N₂?
Skill:
Apply Dalton's partial pressure law to solve a problem.
A gas collected over water contains water vapor. At 23 °C, the vapor pressure of water is 2.8 kPa. Calculate the amount of water (molar mass 18) in mg contained in 3.0 L of a saturated air sample.
Discussion
0.061 g of water = 37000000000000000000000 molecules.
In the van der Waals equation, (P + n²a / V²) (V - n b) = n R T, what unit should n b have if units for V is L?
Discussion:
Addition and subtraction can be carried out only on quantities having the same units.
At room temperature, CO₂ deviate from ideal gas behavior due to its high molecular mass and high boiling point. At 300 K, choose the gas that behaves most like an ideal gas from: CO, CO₂, HF, NH₃, H₂S, SO₃, NO₂, CH₄, H₂.
Discussion:
Molecules of NH₃, H₂S, HF, are polar, and their molecules interact strongly. These gases are less ideal at room temperature compared to H₂, N₂ and O₂.
A weather balloon filled with He gas at 300.0 K has a volume of 2.0 m³ at ground level where the pressure is 1.0 atm. After the balloon rises to a height where the atmospheric pressure is 0.40 atm, its volume increases to 4.0 m³. Calculate the temperature in K of the He gas. R = 0.08205 L atm /(mol K)
Skill:
Easily solved by the application of the formula
P_i V_i / T_i = P_f V_f / T_f
The van der Waals constants for CO₂ are: a = 3.592 L² atm mol^-2, b = 0.04267 L/mol. Use the van der Waals equation to estimate the pressure exerted by 0.500 mol of CO₂ in a 1.00 L tank at 298 K.
Skill:
Rearrange the van der Waals formula as,
```
    n R T     n² a
P = ------- - -----
    V - n b     V²
```
A 1.0-L sample vapor of an unknown substance has a mass of 2.548 g at 101.3 kPa and 100 °C. Estimate the molar mass.
Skill:
Apply the formula: M = d R T / P to solve problem.