Skip to main content

A given mass of air has a volume of 6.0 L at 1 atm. What volume will it occupy at 190 mmHg if the temperature remains unchanged?

This problem is solved using Boyle’s law, a gas law. It gives the relation between volume and pressure of a given mass of a gas at a constant temperature. According to Boyle’s law, volume of a given mass of a gas is inversely proportional to the pressure of the gas, at a given temperature. Hence, if pressure of a gas is increased, the volume of the gas decreases or the gas gets compressed and if the pressure is reduced, the volume of the gas increases or the gas expands. Mathematically the law can be expressed as


P α 1/V


P = constant  x 1/V


Or PV=constant.


Thus if V1 is the volume of a given mass of a gas at pressure P1, and if the pressure is changed to P2, then according to Boyle’s law, the volume of the gas will change to V2 in such a way that


P1V1 =P2V2


This equation can be used to solve the given problem.


Given that the volume of the gas is 6.0 L (V1) under a pressure of 1 atm (P1), when the pressure is changed to 190 mmHg (P2), the new volume can be calculated by first converting 190 mmHg to atm:


190 mmHg x (1 atm / 760 mmHg) = .25 atm


    P1     V1   =      P2      V2


(1 atm)(6 L) = (.25 atm)(V2)


 V2= P1V1 / P2


   V2 = (1atm x 6.0 L) / (.25 atm)


Therefore  V2 = 24.0 L


The new volume of the gas is 24.0 L.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is there a word/phrase for "unperformant"?

As a software engineer, I need to sometimes describe a piece of code as something that lacks performance or was not written with performance in mind. Example: This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. Based on my Google searches, this isn't a real word. What is the correct way to describe this? EDIT My usage of "performance" here is in regard to speed and efficiency. For example, the better the performance of code the faster the application runs. My question and example target the negative definition, which is in reference to preventing inefficient coding practices. Answer This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. In my opinion, reads more easily as: This coding style leads to unmaintainable and poorly performing code. The key to well-written documentation and reports lies in ease of understanding. Adding poorly understood words such as performant decreases that ease. In addressing the use of such a poorly ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is 'efficate' a word in English?

I routinely hear the word "efficate" being used. For example, "The most powerful way to efficate a change in the system is to participate." I do not find entries for this word in common English dictionaries, but I do not have an unabridged dictionary. I have checked the OED (I'm not sure if it is considered unabridged), and it has no entry for "efficate". It does have an entry for "efficiate", which is used in the same way. Wordnik has an entry for "efficate" with over 1800 hits, thus providing some evidence for the frequency of use. I personally like the word and find the meaning very clear and obvious when others use it. If it's not currently an "officially documented" word, perhaps its continued use will result in it being better documented.
Post a Comment
Read more