A 1.50 liter flask at a temperature of 25°C contains a mixture of 0.158 moles of methane, 0.09 moles of ethane, and 0.044 moles of butane. What is the total pressure of the mixture inside the flask?
This
can be solved using Dalton's Law of Partial pressures. This law states that the
total pressure exerted by a gas mixture is equal to the sum of the partial
pressure of each gas in the mixture as if it exist alone in a container. In
order to solve, we need the partial pressures of the gases given. Calculations
are as follows:
P = P1 + P2 + P3
P = (0.08206 atm.L/mol.K)( 298.15
K)/1.50) x (0.158 mole + 0.09 mol + 0.044 mol) = 4.76
atm
To answer this question, we use the ideal gas equation PV=nRT where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the gas constant and T is temperature. We add first the number of moles, that is a total of 0.292 moles. Using PV=nRT, the answer is 4.76 atm.