The Ideal Gas Equation

We can combine these equations into the following general

equation that describes the physical behavior of all gases:

V αnT/P V = R.nT/ P

PV = nRT R = 0.082 L. atm / K. mol

Problem calculate the volume of 1 mole of an ideal gas at
0 ◦C and 1 atm, conditions known as standard
temperature and pressure (STP)?

In this case, n, T, and P are given. R is a constant,

leaving V as the only unknown

Thus, the volume occupied by 1 mole of an ideal

gas at STP is 22.41 L
Sample Problem

Calculate the volume of 12.5 g of CO2 gas occupy at a

temperature of 40 ˚C and a pressure of 1.20 atm?
Sample Problem

If a child releases a 6.25-L helium balloon in an

amusement park where the temperature is 28.50 ˚C and
the air pressure is 757.2 mmHg, what will the volume
of the balloon be when it has risen to an altitude where
the temperature is -34.35 ˚C and the air pressure is
366.4 mmHg?
Dalton’s law of partial pressures states that:
The total pressure exerted by a gas mixture is the sum
of the partial pressures exerted by each component of
the mixture:

Schematic show of
Dalton’s law of partial
pressures. Total pressure
is equal to the sum of
partial pressures.
Gas Mixtures
• When two or more gaseous substances are placed in a container, each gas
behaves as though it occupies the container alone. For example, if we place
1.00 mole of N2 gas in a 5.00-L container at 0°C, it exerts a pressure of

• If we then add a mole of another gas, such as O2, the pressure exerted by N2
does not change. It remains at 4.48 atm. The O2 gas exerts its own pressure,
also 4.48 atm. In a mixture of gases, the pressure exerted by each gas is
known as the partial pressure of the gas.

Ptotal = PN2 + PO2 = 4.48 atm + 4.48 atm = 8.96 atm

 A 1.00-L vessel contains 0.215 mole of N2 gas and
Problem

0.0118 mole of H2 gas at 25.5 ˚C. Determine the partial

pressure of each component and the total pressure in
the vessel?
 Ideal Gas Law with Density PV = nRT

If we then multiply both sides by the molar mass, M, we get

where M . n/V gives g/L or density, d. Therefore,

If we know the density of a gas, we can determine its molar mass:

 Carbon dioxide is effective in fire extinguishers partly
Problem
because its density is greater than that of air (Air has
a density of approximately 1.2 g/L at room
temperature and 1 atm). Calculate the density of CO2
at room temperature (25 ◦C) and 1.0 atm?
Problem

Determine how much faster a helium atom moves, on

average, than a carbon dioxide molecule at the same
temperature?
The Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases

• A gas is composed of particles that are separated by

relatively large distances. The volume occupied by individual
molecules is negligible.
• Gas molecules are constantly in random motion, moving in
straight paths, colliding with the walls of their container and
with one another in perfectly elastic collisions.
• Gas molecules show no forces of attraction or replusion.
• No energy is lost in collision of molecules, the collision is
completely elastic.
Deviation from Ideal Behavior

The gas laws assume that molecules in the gas phase

occupy negligible volume (assumption 1) and that they do
not exert any force on one another, either attractive or
repulsive (assumption 2). Gases that behave as though
these assumptions were strictly true are said to exhibit
ideal behavior. Many gases do exhibit ideal or nearly ideal
behavior under ordinary conditions.

Under the conditions of high pressure and low

temperature, the behavior of a real gas deviates
from ideal.
 Factors That Cause Deviation from Ideal Behavior

At high pressures, gas molecules are relatively close together. We can assume that
gas molecules occupy no volume only when the distances between molecules are
large. When the distances between molecules are reduced, the volume occupied by
each individual molecule becomes more significant.

At low temperatures, gas molecules are moving more slowly. We can assume that there
are no intermolecular forces between gas molecules, either attractive or repulsive,
when the gas molecules are moving very fast and the magnitude of their kinetic
energies is much larger than the magnitude of any intermolecular forces. When
molecules move more slowly, they have lower kinetic energies and the magnitude of
the forces between them becomes more significant.
 Ideal gas PV=nRT
Incorporating both corrections into the ideal gas equation gives us the
van der Waals equation, with which we can analyze gases under
conditions where ideal behavior is not expected.

A sample of 3.50 moles of NH3 gas occupies 5.20 L at

Q 47 ◦C. Calculate the pressure of the gas (in atm) using
(a) the ideal gas equation and (b) Real gas equation.

a = 4.17 atm L/mol2, and b = 0.0371 L/mol