Chemistry 5

Chapter-6
Gases
Part-2

7 October 2002
Some Cool Chemistry Research
Prof. H. Park & Group

Hongkun Park
 General Gas Equation
ƒ In many instances, several properties of gas
change at once. To analyze, consider following:
• initial: PiVi = niRTi
• final: PfVf = nfRTf

R = PiVi/niTi

PiVi/niTi = PfVf/nfTf, general gas eqn.

ƒ Example, calculate the volume of a helium

balloon, which is used to carry instruments into the
upper atmosphere, if the initial volume is 1x106 L,
T= 300 K & P=1 atm, and final T=240 K & P=0.1
atm.
PiVi/niTi = PfVf/nfTf
ni = nf, unless there’s a leak!

Vf = (PiVi/Ti)(Tf/Pf)
= (Pi/Pf)(Tf/Ti)Vi
= (1/0.1)(240/300)1x106 L
= 8x106 L
 Gas Density
ƒ How does density, d, of ideal gas depend on
molecular weight?
• d = m/V
mass, m = n . M
d = (n . M)/V
substitute for n/V with ideal gas eqn.
= M(P/RT)

ƒ densities of common gases:

Gas MW (g/mol) Density (g/L)

Hydrogen 2.02 0.0901
Nitrogen 28.01 1.250
Oxygen 32.00 1.428
Chlorine 70.90 3.163
Helium 4.00 0.178
Neon 20.18 0.9003
Radon 222 9.90
 Example: Gas Density
ƒ How large would H2, He and Ne balloons need to
be to lift an instrument weighing 100 kg?

First, compare densities of ‘lifting gas’ with that of air.

For He at STP:
d(air) – d(He) = 1.29 (g/L) – 0.178 (g/L)
= 1.11 g/L
This is the lifting force of He per liter

The Balloon Volumes are then:

(100 kg)(1000g/kg)(1L He/1.11g) = 9.01x104 L He
(100 kg)(1000g/kg)(1L H2/1.20g) = 8.33x104 L H2
(100 kg)(1000g/kg)(1L Ne/0.39g) = 2.56x105 L Ne
 Chemical Reactions
ƒ With ideal gas equation, it is possible to analyze
reactions involving gases in terms of volume and
pressure (in addition to moles).
ƒ Consider the following reaction that occurs when
‘drain cleaner’ is poured into a clogged drain:
2Al(s) + 2NaOH(aq) + 6H2O Æ 2NaAl(OH)4(aq) + 3H2(g)
What volume of H2 gas is produced from 13.49 g of Al
at STP?

1. Determine moles (n) of H2 produced:

n(H2) = 13.49gAl x (1mol Al/26.98g) x (3mol H2/2mol Al)
= 0.75 mol

2. Use ideal gas equation to determine volume:

V = nRT/P
= .75(0.08206)(273.15K)/1atm
= 16.8 liters
 Mixtures of Gases
ƒ Our atmosphere is a mixture of a number of gases–
N2, O2, CO2, Ar, H2O– and what is termed
atmospheric pressure is a sum of the pressures
exerted by all of these individual components.

ƒ Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures

The total pressure of a mixture of gases is the sum of
the partial pressures of its components.

Ptot = PA + PB + PC + …

Dalton’s law is useful for addressing many common gas

problems, for example, when gases are collected over
water (also ca. situation in our lungs).
 Mixtures of Gases: Example
ƒ A convenient method to determine experimentally
reaction gases involves collecting gas products
over water; however, this method introduces a
contribution from water vapor pressure to the total
pressure.
T (oC) 19 21 23 25 30 50
VP (mmHg) 16.5 18.7 21.1 23.8 31.8 92.5

What about 100 oC?

ƒ Calcium carbide decomposes in H2O to yield

acetylene gas. The reaction of an unknown amount
of CaC2 produced 500 ml of gas at a pressure of 1
atm and temperature of 30oC. How many moles of
CaC2 were used in the reaction?
1. Use Dalton’s law to determine partial pressure acetylene
Pac = Ptot – Pwater
= (760 mmHg – 31.8 mmHg)1atm/760 mmHg
= 0.958 atm
2. Use ideal gas eqn to determine moles CaC2
n = PacV/RT
= (0.958 atm)(0.500 L)/(0.08206 L-atm/mol-K)(300.15 K)
= 0.0194 mol