Ideal Gas Assumptions: Can it Turn into a Liquid?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the limitations of the ideal gas law, particularly regarding its assumptions about gas behavior and interactions. It is established that the ideal gas law assumes gas particles do not interact except through elastic collisions, which is critical for understanding why gases can condense into liquids under certain conditions. The ideal gas law is most accurate for monoatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures, and its reliability diminishes as temperatures approach condensation points. Users should consider the specific conditions of their experiments when applying the ideal gas law.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the ideal gas law and its assumptions
  • Knowledge of gas particle interactions and elastic collisions
  • Familiarity with the concepts of phase transitions, particularly condensation
  • Basic principles of thermodynamics related to temperature and pressure
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the limitations of the ideal gas law in real-world applications
  • Study the Van der Waals equation for real gas behavior
  • Explore phase diagrams and their relevance to gas-liquid transitions
  • Investigate the effects of temperature and pressure on gas behavior in various experiments
USEFUL FOR

Students of chemistry and physics, researchers in thermodynamics, and anyone studying gas behavior and phase transitions will benefit from this discussion.

GrizzlyBat
Messages
36
Reaction score
0
I was wondering if it assumed the gas could not turn into a liquid?
 
Science news on Phys.org
GrizzlyBat said:
I was wondering if it assumed the gas could not turn into a liquid?

You need to be a bit more "explanatory" with your question. For example, it is clearly stated as part of the ideal gas law assumption that the gas particles do not interact with one another other than making elastic collisions. Did you understand this part of the ideal gas law?

Now think about what a "solid" is. A "solid", by definition, means that the particle form BONDS with each other to be able to maintain a rigid shape.

Does that answer your question?

Zz.
 
Nah, yeah that is what I thought. Just was not sure. So does that mean for a monochromatic gas that is near the temperature at which it turns into a liquid, the ideal gas law is not so good?
 
The ideal gas law is most accurate for monoatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures. Although, I assume, depending on the necessary accuracy of the measurements and the specifics of the experiment, one could still use the Ideal Gas Law for temperatures near condensation.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad How to calculate the mass of gas in a tank?
  • · Replies 109 ·
4
Replies
109
Views
8K
Undergrad Thermodynamics and ideal gas law concepts
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
Graduate Can Hamson-Linde cycle liquidize N2?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
Undergrad Movable Wall in an Adiabatic System: Same Final Temperature?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Undergrad Derivation of ideal gas heat capacity relationship
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Undergrad Why is estimation of ##\frac{Pv}{RT}=1+BP+CP^2+...## interesting?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Graduate A single molecule diffusion in ideal gas
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
589
Undergrad So what are the definitions of gas, liquid, solid?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
2K
Undergrad Focus Problem for Entropy Change in Irreversible Adiabatic Process
  • · Replies 60 ·
3
Replies
60
Views
10K
Undergrad Application of the ideal gas law
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K