Solve Ideal Gas Law Problem: V2 and P2 for Ar and N2 mixture at 400 K

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around solving a problem related to the Ideal Gas Law involving a mixture of argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N2) in a rigid tank. Participants explore how to determine the volume of the tank and the final pressure of the gas mixture after heating to 400 K, considering both initial conditions and the behavior of ideal gases.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant calculates the initial volume using the Ideal Gas Law and expresses confusion about finding the final pressure and volume after heating.
  • Another suggests finding partial pressures by calculating the mole fraction of each gas and summing them, noting that the volume remains constant.
  • Some participants argue that since the gases behave as an ideal gas mixture, it is unnecessary to split them into species for calculations.
  • There is a suggestion to use Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures to compute the total pressure after heating, while also questioning the assumption of ideal gas behavior for the specific gases mentioned.
  • Participants discuss whether the initial calculation of volume pertains to the gas or the tank, clarifying that the tank's volume remains constant.
  • Some express that the problem's scope seems limited to the Ideal Gas Law, indicating a consensus on the assumption of ideal behavior for the gases involved.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

While there is some agreement on using the Ideal Gas Law for calculations, there remains disagreement on whether to treat the gases separately or as a single ideal gas mixture. The discussion does not reach a consensus on the necessity of using partial pressures or the implications of ideal gas assumptions.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the potential limitations of assuming ideal gas behavior without addressing non-ideality, suggesting that real gas equations may be necessary under different conditions, though this is not resolved in the discussion.

Jacob87411
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1. A rigid tank contains .5 kmol of Ar and 2kmol of N2 at 250 kPa and 280 K. The mixture is now heated to 400 K. Determine the volume of the tank and the final pressure of the mixture.



2. PV=NRT

Can you find the initial volume by using PV=NRT?

V=NRT/P
V=(2.5)(8.314)(280)/250=23.2 m^3

Now I am confused how I used this to find V2 and P2, is there another relation between pressure and volume that I don't have? Thanks
 
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find partial pressures (mole fraction of each gas x total pressure) and add them up to get total pressure.
Volume is tank is constant
 
f(x) said:
find partial pressures (mole fraction of each gas x total pressure) and add them up to get total pressure.
Volume is tank is constant

If you are going to do it that way be sure and compute a 'partial volume' for each gas as well. But why bother? Both pressures go up by the same fraction. Why split them?
 
V1=V2=23.2 m^3 or you mean the volume of the tank is constant because I thought the 23.2 was thevolume of the gas not the tank
 
In your solution to computing the volume of the gas, you set N=2.5 kmol. So you treated the two gasses as one big volume of ideal gas. There is no need to split them into species. A mix of ideal gasses is itself an ideal gas.
 
Yes but I am still confused. How do you use the mole ratio to find the pressure after heating it up
 
No mole ratios necessary. As Dick said, just assume you have 2.5 kmol of one ideal gas, this is N. Using this value for N, you can find the volume of the container (watch your units though!). Now plug this volume into the ideal gas law, along with the new temperature, to determine the new pressure.
 
Dick said:
If you are going to do it that way be sure and compute a 'partial volume' for each gas as well. But why bother? Both pressures go up by the same fraction. Why split them?

partial volume ?? what i meant was to use dalton's law of partial pressures...which states total pressure is sum of partial pressures of each gas taken separately (but volume remains constant)

initially we have v=nRT/p (calculate with initial conditions)

now that u know the volume(it remains const as the container is rigid)
calculate the partial pressures of each gas for t=400 K and add them up to get the total pressure (P2)
ie. p(Ar)=moles of Ar*R*T / V
p(N2)=moles of N2*R*T / V
p2=p(Ar)+p(N2)

The thing is, since names of gases are explicitly mentioned while nothing about their ideal behaviour is mentioned, i wonder if its correct to use ideal gas eqn.
Check what answer you get with the above else we shall have to use any real gas eqn like vanderwaals eqn.
 
I see what you are saying. That IS the more correct way to state the solution. Thought since the poster had combined the gasses for the first problem, he may as well continue. But I think your presentation is much better. That is, in fact, probably why the two gasses were named - to make you mention partial pressures (not for a nonideality problem). Sorry to muddy the waters.
 
  • #10
Jacob87411 said:
V1=V2=23.2 m^3 or you mean the volume of the tank is constant because I thought the 23.2 was thevolume of the gas not the tank
Jacob: Can the gas occupy a different volume than the tank? Look up the different definitions of 'gas' .

Yes, V1=V2.


f(x): You have used the ideal gas equation in your last post, so you too have assumed both gases are ideal (that seems a reasonable assumption to make, especially given the choices of gases in the question). There is no need to deal with partial pressures.
 
Last edited:
  • #11
umm...yeah the scope of the question seems limited to ideal gas eqn at the moment. o:)
oh, lol and sorry for the partial pressures...like Dick said b4...it doesn't make a difference if they are ideal gases
 

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