Is the air in a room an ideal gas?

In summary, the air at room temperature can be considered an ideal gas because at this temperature and pressure, the forces of attraction and repulsion between molecules have minimal effects. This is due to the distance between molecules, which is related to the density of the gas. Therefore, the density of the gas does play a role in its ideal gas behavior.
  • #1
bse
16
0
Is the air in a room an ideal gas? How do you know this?

How does this compare to the density of air at room temperature?

thanks
 
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  • #2
this can probably go into the General Physics or Classical Physics forum.

air at room temp is pretty close to an ideal gas because its temp is much higher than its boiling point.
 
  • #3
Ok sorry,

thanks a lot
 
  • #4
it is an ideal gas because the weird forces of attraction and repulsion (Such as hydrogen bonding, diploe-dipole stuff) have very little effect at this temperature, pressure and volume. This is true because the molecules in this gas have enough distance in b/w them at this P,V,T.

Density doesn't really directly have anything to do with this. rho = m/V = (n*MM)/V, the only variable here is V, so density is proportional to the volume, but it as i mentioned above it is the distance b/w the molules that matters, and this of course is related to the density, so that's how the density factors in.


Hope that helps
 

1. What is an ideal gas?

An ideal gas is a theoretical concept used in physics and chemistry to describe the behavior of gases. It is a hypothetical gas that follows the ideal gas law, which states that the pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas are all directly proportional to each other.

2. Is the air in a room considered an ideal gas?

In most cases, the air in a room can be approximated as an ideal gas. This is because air is made up of small particles (molecules) that are widely spaced apart, and their interactions with each other are minimal. However, at very high pressures or low temperatures, the behavior of air may deviate from that of an ideal gas.

3. What are the assumptions of an ideal gas?

The ideal gas law assumes that the gas particles have no volume and do not interact with each other. It also assumes that the gas particles are in constant, random motion and that their collisions with each other and with the walls of the container are perfectly elastic. Additionally, it assumes that the gas particles have negligible forces of attraction between them.

4. How is the ideal gas law used to describe the air in a room?

The ideal gas law, PV = nRT, can be used to describe the behavior of the air in a room by measuring the pressure (P), volume (V), temperature (T), and number of moles (n) of gas present. This allows us to calculate any one of these variables if we know the values of the other three.

5. What are some real-world examples of ideal gases?

Some common examples of ideal gases include air, helium, neon, and hydrogen. These gases behave very closely to the ideal gas law under normal conditions, making them useful for practical applications such as in refrigerators and air conditioners.

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