Calculating Ideal Gas Volume with the Ideal Gas Law

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the volume of an ideal gas using the ideal gas law, specifically in the context of determining the length of an edge of a cube representing the spacing of gas molecules at given temperature and pressure conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the ideal gas law and the need for the number of moles (n) in the calculation. There is a focus on converting temperature to an absolute scale and understanding the relationship between particles and moles.

Discussion Status

The conversation includes attempts to clarify the concept of moles in relation to individual gas particles, with some participants affirming the approach while others express confusion about the relationship between the number of particles and moles.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of the need for absolute temperature conversion and the implications of the ideal gas law in the context of the problem. The discussion reflects uncertainty regarding the value of n and its significance in the calculation.

jaded18
Messages
149
Reaction score
0
Consider an ideal gas at 27.0 degrees Celsius and 1.00 atmosphere pressure. Imagine the molecules to be uniformly spaced, with each molecule at the center of a small cube.

What is the length L of an edge of each small cube if adjacent cubes touch but don't overlap?
______________
I know that the ideal gas law states V=nRT/p and that in this case R=8.2057(10^-5) m^3 (atm/mol*K), p=1atm, T=27+273K. What is n? I can't solve without n!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Simply plug and chug.

You may be forgetting to convert 27 centigrade to an absolute temperature scale such as kelvin.Never mind that; I didn't see the second part of your post.As for n, think about how many atoms you are finding the "cube" for.
 
Last edited:
am i approaching it the wrong way?
 
No you are approaching it the right way.

Think about n. How many moles is one particle?
 
are you looking for 6.02*10^23 as the answer to your ^ question? sorry don't get it even if that's what you're looking for
 

Similar threads

Calculating ΔE Difference for 2 Samples of Monatomic Ideal Gas
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Ideal Gas Law and Pressure at 80°C
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
What would be a real-life example of the ideal gas law?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
10K
Calculations using the Ideal Gas Law
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Calculate ideal-gas temperature of a material
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Ideal Gas Law Homework: Calculating Number Density and Spacing Between Molecules
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Closed cycle of an ideal gas
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Mixing two ideal gases with different V, T at constant pressure
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
4K
Changes in pressure, temp, & entropy of ideal gas in atmosphere
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Finding both temperature and the amount of gas added
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K