Ideal Gas HW Problem: Pressure at 11,000 meters?

In summary, the question is about finding the pressure of the atmosphere at an altitude of 11,000 meters, given the air temperature and density. The attempt at solving the problem using a specific equation did not yield the expected result, and a suggestion was given to use the Ideal Gas Law instead.
  • #1
Cuckooforcocoa
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Ideal Gas HW Problem!?

Homework Statement


"At an altitude of 11,000 meters, the air temperature is -50 degrees celsius. The air density is 0.403 kg/m^3. What is the pressure of the atmosphere at that altitude."

Homework Equations


P = P0exp(- Mgy/RT)


The Attempt at a Solution


I attempted to solve the problem using the above equation above equation and my result was P = 2.8 * 10^4. However my online homework is not accepting the answer and I'm not sure what I did wrong. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
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  • #2
Po is the pressure at altitude h=0, at the given temperature. I think you used the value given for T=273 K.

Use the Ideal Gas Law instead.

ehild
 

What is an ideal gas?

An ideal gas is a theoretical concept in which gas molecules have no volume, do not interact with each other, and experience no intermolecular forces. It follows the ideal gas law, PV=nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.

How do you solve ideal gas homework problems?

To solve an ideal gas homework problem, you first need to identify the given variables (P, V, n, R, T) and rearrange the ideal gas law equation to solve for the missing variable. Make sure to convert units and use the correct gas constant for the units given. Also, pay attention to the conditions of the gas (STP, standard conditions, etc.) and use the appropriate conversion factors.

What are the assumptions of an ideal gas?

The assumptions of an ideal gas include:

  1. Gas molecules have no volume.
  2. Gas molecules do not interact with each other.
  3. Gas molecules experience no intermolecular forces.
  4. The gas follows the ideal gas law, PV=nRT.
  5. The average kinetic energy of gas molecules is directly proportional to temperature.

What is the difference between an ideal gas and a real gas?

An ideal gas is a theoretical concept, while a real gas takes into account the volume of gas molecules and intermolecular forces. Real gases do not always follow the ideal gas law, especially at high pressures and low temperatures.

What is the significance of the ideal gas law?

The ideal gas law is a fundamental equation in chemistry and physics that describes the behavior of gases. It allows us to calculate the relationships between pressure, volume, temperature, and moles of a gas, and is used in various applications such as predicting the volume of a gas at different conditions, calculating the density of a gas, and determining the partial pressure of a gas in a mixture.

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