Where Did I Go Wrong in My Gas Law Calculation?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a gas law calculation using the ideal gas law equation PV=nRT. The user calculated pressure (P) as 146.79 atm for 6 moles of gas at 1 liter volume, but the answer key indicates the correct volume (V) should be 1 liter for 2 moles of argon gas. The error arises from the misunderstanding of partial pressures in a gas mixture; each gas behaves independently, and the total pressure is not simply the sum of individual gas pressures in a confined space.

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  • Understanding of the Ideal Gas Law (PV=nRT)
  • Knowledge of partial pressure concepts in gas mixtures
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  • Basic principles of gas behavior in confined spaces
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aboredperson
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Homework Statement
Given three rigid 1.00-Liter containers at 25o C filled with 1.00 mole of helium gas, 2.00 moles of neon gas, and 3.00 moles of argon gas respectively. When all three gases are pumped into a fourth 1.00-Liter container, what is the volume occupied by the neon gas in the final mixture?
a) 1.00L b) 2.00L c) 3.00L d) 0.167L. E) 0.333L
Relevant Equations
PV=nRT
P=pressure(atm) V= volume (L) n= Moles R= 0.0821 T= Temperature(K)
PV=nRT
P*1L = 6 moles * 0.0821*298 (I added up all the moles and solved for pressure)
P =146.79 atm
146.79 atm * V = 2 moles Ar * 0.0821* 298 (I plugged in the moles for argon and solved for volume)
V= 0.333 L
Answer key says the answer is 1 Liter. Where did I go wrong?
 
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Looks like you have assumed that partial pressure of the neon gas is the same as the total pressure in the mixture.
 
Last edited:
The 3 gases don't occupy distinct portions of the receiving container separately. They all occupy the complete receiving container. Each gas in an ideal gas mixture behaves as if the other gases are not even present.
 

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