Surface Area/Pressure/Ideal Gas Law

In summary, surface area is the measurement of an object's outer surface and a larger surface area results in higher pressure. The Ideal Gas Law is a mathematical equation that relates pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles for ideal gases. Temperature affects pressure as it increases, causing gas particles to move faster and collide more frequently. The surface area of a gas is affected by its container, volume changes, temperature, and pressure. While the Ideal Gas Law is based on ideal gas behavior, it can still be used as an approximation for real gases, but more complex equations are needed for accuracy.
  • #1
danielu13
67
0
How does surface area affect pressure, since pressure is defined by [itex]\frac{Force}{Area}[/itex], and specifically how does this work with the Ideal Gas Law ([itex]PV = nRT[/itex])? I would think that surface area and pressure have an inverse relationship, as to pressure and volume. But what if you had gas-filled containers with the same volume but different internal surface areas? I would think that the pressure in the one with less surface area would be less, but this is not evidenced by the ideal gas law.
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
  • #2
Pressure is independent of surface area.
 

1. What is surface area and how does it relate to pressure?

Surface area is the measurement of the outer surface of an object. In terms of pressure, a larger surface area means there is a larger area for force to be exerted on, resulting in a higher pressure. This can be seen in the example of a balloon - as it is inflated, the surface area increases and the pressure inside the balloon also increases.

2. What is the Ideal Gas Law and how is it used?

The Ideal Gas Law is a mathematical equation that describes the relationship between the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas. It is expressed as PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature. This law is used to predict the behavior of ideal gases under different conditions, and can be used to calculate unknown variables when others are known.

3. How does temperature affect the pressure of a gas?

According to the Ideal Gas Law, as temperature increases, the pressure of a gas also increases, assuming the volume and number of moles remain constant. This is because as temperature increases, the gas particles have more energy and move faster, which results in more frequent collisions and a higher pressure.

4. What factors affect the surface area of a gas?

The surface area of a gas is affected by the container it is held in and any changes in volume. For example, if a gas is transferred to a larger container, the surface area will increase. Additionally, any changes in temperature or pressure can also affect the surface area of a gas.

5. How does the Ideal Gas Law apply to real gases?

The Ideal Gas Law is based on the assumption that gases behave ideally, meaning there are no intermolecular forces between gas particles and they have negligible volume. In reality, most gases do not behave ideally, especially at high pressures and low temperatures. The Ideal Gas Law can still be used as a close approximation for real gases, but more complex equations must be used to accurately predict their behavior.

Similar threads

What does "limit of zero pressure" mean for ideal gas temperature?
    • Chemistry
Replies
14
Views
2K
Question about the collisions of the molecules in an ideal gas
    • Chemistry
Replies
24
Views
2K
Is the Avogadro hypothesis ambiguous?
    • Chemistry
Replies
1
Views
794
What does it mean to specify the extensive state of an ideal gas?
    • Chemistry
Replies
3
Views
1K
I Why is estimation of ##\frac{Pv}{RT}=1+BP+CP^2+...## interesting?
    • Classical Physics
Replies
2
Views
568
I Sound pressure and inverse distance law
    • Mechanics
Replies
5
Views
1K
I Focus Problem for Entropy Change in Irreversible Adiabatic Process
    • Thermodynamics
2
Replies
56
Views
3K
B Does Avogadro's Law Account for Differences in Gas Density?
    • Thermodynamics
Replies
9
Views
1K
I Compressing gas with piston: reasons for temperature increase?
    • Thermodynamics
Replies
5
Views
2K
Why is the universal gas constant a constant?
    • Chemistry
Replies
8
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top