Homework I

1. You are warned not to dispose of pressurized cans by throwing them on to a fire.
The gas in an aerosol container exerts a pressure of 125 kPa at 18OC. The
container is thrown on a fire, and its temperature rises to 700OC. What is the
pressure at this temperature?
2. A meteorological balloon had a radius of 1.0 m when released at sea level at 20OC
and expanded to a radius of 3.0 m when it had risen to its maximum altitude
where the temperature was -20 OC. What is the pressure inside the balloon at that
altitude?
3. A gas mixture being used to simulate the atmosphere of another planet consists of
320 mg of methane, 175 mg of argon, and 225 mg of nitrogen. The partial
pressure of nitrogen at 300 K is 15.2 kPa. Calculate (a) the volume and (b) the
total pressure of the mixture.
4. The composition of planetary atmospheres is determined in part by the speeds of
the molecules of the constituent gases, because the faster-moving molecules can
reach escape velocity and leave the planet. Calculate the mean speed of (a) He
atoms, (b) CH4 molecules at (i) 77 K, (ii) 298 K, (iii) 1000K.