Chapter 1

The Properties of Gases

Dr. Mitha Al-Jabri

1
Elements that exist as gases at 250C and 1 atmosphere

2
Physical Characteristics of Gases

• Gases uniformly fill any container

• Gases are the most compressible state of matter.

• Gases will mix evenly and completely when confined to

the same container.

• Gases have much lower densities than liquids and

solids.

3
 Properties of Gases

The behavior of gases can be predicted based on the

following properties:

Pressure (atm)
Volume (L)
Amount (moles)
Temperature (Kelvin, K)

4
Pressure
Pressure is defined as the force the gas exerts on a given
area of the container in which it is contained. The SI unit
for pressure is the Pascal, Pa.

Pressure = force force =collisions of particles

area

Units of Pressure
1 atm = 760 mmHg = 760 torr = 101325 Pa

5
Measuring Atmospheric Pressure

Mercury filled column

inverted in dish of mercury

760
mmHg
Mercury in the column flows out of
tube until its pressure is equal to
the pressure of the air exerted on
the mercury in dish.

Barometer (Torricelli) 6
How to Increase Gas Pressure
• The pressure that a gas exerts depends on how often and how
hard these molecules strike the walls of the container.

• Molecules collide more often = increase in gas pressure

• Molecules collide with more energy = increase in gas pressure.

• Increasing temperature causes molecules to move faster and

collide more frequently and with more energy so gas pressure
increases.
• Decreasing volume also leads to an increase in gas pressure as
molecules now collide more frequently with the walls of the
container.
7
Boyle’s Law
Boyle’s Law describes the relationship between

pressure (P) and volume (V) of gases.

Boyle determined that for the same amount of a gas at

constant temperature

P x V = constant
This defines an inverse relationship, when one of these
factors goes up, the other comes down and vice-versa.

8
Boyle’s Law (P x V = constant)

Decreasing gas pressure

P1 x V1 = P2 x V2

volume of gas increases

Plot of Pressure vs. Volume

9
Boyle’s Law Problem PV = constant P1 x V1 = P2 x V2

A sample of chlorine gas occupies a volume of 946 mL at a

pressure of 726 mmHg. What is the pressure of the gas if
the volume is reduced at constant temperature to 154 mL?

Solution: P1 x V1 = P2 x V2

P1 = 726 mmHg P2 = ?

V1 = 946 mL V2 = 154 mL

P1 x V1 726 mmHg x 946 mL

P2 = = = 4460 mmHg
V2 154 mL
10
Charles’s Law
Charles’s Law describes the relationship

between volume (V) and temperature (T) of

gases.

He determined that for the same amount of a gas at constant

pressure
V = constant
T

This defines a direct relationship, when one of these factors

increases there is an increase in the other and vice- versa.

11
Charles’s Law V / T = constant

Volume vs Temperature
60
Volume, L

50
40 V1 = V2
30 T1 T2
20
10
0
0 100 200 300

Temperature, K

Plot of Volume vs. Temperature

Temperature must be in Kelvin! T (K) = T(0C) + 273.15

12
 V = constant V1 = V2
Charles’s Law Problem T T1 T2

A sample of carbon monoxide gas occupies 3.20 L at 125 0C.

At what temperature will the gas occupy a volume of 1.54 L if
the pressure remains constant?
V1 = V2
Solution: T1 T2

V1 = 3.20 L V2 = 1.54 L

T1 = 398.15 K T2 = ?

V2 x T1 1.54 L x 398.15 K
T2 = = = 192 K
V1 3.20 L
13
 Avogadro’s Law
This law describes the relationship between the
volume (V) and the number of moles of gas (n).
This law is obeyed closely by gases at low
pressures.
He determined that for a gas at constant pressure and
temperature V = constant
n
This defines a direct relationship, when one of these factors
increases there is an increase in the other.

Avogadro’s Law can be written as: V1 = V2

n1 n2 14
 V = constant V1 = V2
Avogadro’s Law Problem n n1 n2

Ammonia burns in oxygen to form nitrogen monoxide (NO) and

water vapor. How many volumes of NO are obtained from one
volume of ammonia at the same temperature and pressure?

Solution: 4NH3 + 5O2 4NO + 6H2O

1 mole NH3 1 mole NO

At constant T and P

1 volume NH3 1 volume NO

15
Perfect Gas Equation
constant
Boyle PV = constant V =
P
V = constant
Charles V = constant x T
T
Avogadro V = constant V = constant x n
n
nT nT
Combining the above: V = constant x =R
P P

R is the gas constant R = 0.082057 L•atm

mol•K

Perfect Gas Law: PV = nRT

16
 Perfect Gas Law Problem I
What is the volume (in liters) occupied by 49.8 g of HCl at STP?

Solution: PV = nRT V=
nRT
P P = 1 atm
T = 0 0C = 273.15 K
1 mol HCl
n = 49.8 g x = 1.37 mol
36.45 g HCl

Molar mass of HCl

Substituting into manipulated Ideal Gas Law:

1.37 mol x 0.0821 L•atm x 273.15 K

V=
mol•K
= 30.6 L
1 atm 17
 Perfect Gas Law Problem II
A light bulb containing argon at 1.20 atm and 18 0C is heated to
85 0C at constant volume. What is the final pressure of argon
in the light bulb (in atm)?

Solution: PV = nRT n, V and R are constant

Rearrange gas law so that constants are all on one side:

P1 nR P2 P1 = 1.20 atm P2 = ?
= =
T1 V T2 T1 = 291 K T2 = 358 K
So P1 P2
=
T1 T2
358 K
T2
P2 = P1 x = 1.20 atm x 291 K = 1.48 atm 18
T1
Gas Stoichiometry

At standard temperature and pressure (STP): 0 oC (273.15K)

1 atm (760 torr)
1 mol of an perfect gas
( 6.023 x 1023 particles) occupies 22.4 L

19
Examples of Molar Volumes of Gases

Gas No. of No. of Molar mass Molar

moles molecules volume at
STP
H2 1 6.02 x 1023 2.02 g/mol 22.4 L/mol

O2 1 6.02 x 1023 32 g/mol 22.4 L/mol

CO2 1 6.02 x 1023 44.01 g/mol 22.4 L/mol

NH3 1 6.02 x 1023 17.04 g/mol 22.4 L/mol

Ar 1 6.02 x 1023 39.95 g/mol 22.4 L/mol

atoms NOT
molecules
20
 Perfect Gases
1. A perfect gas obeys all of the gas laws under all
conditions.
2. Real gases approach perfect gas behavior at low pressures
and high temperatures.

3. Most gases obey the perfect gas law closely at pressures

below 1 atm.

4. In reality there are no gases that fit the definition of an

perfect gas perfectly but this concept is used to simplify
gas law calculations where minimal errors occur from
assuming perfect gas behavior. 21
 Calculating Density Using the Perfect Gas Law
n = P
PV = nRT rearranged
V RT

n = moles of gas = m (g)

MM (g/mol)
m
d=
V
Inserting n into
m = P
rearranged Perfect Gas Law:
V x MM RT

d= P x MM

RT 22
Calculating Molar Mass using Perfect Gas Law
m (g)
PV = n R T n = MM (g/mol)

Substituting n into the perfect gas law: PV = m RT

MM

Rearranging equation: MM = m RT
PV

23
Molar Mass Prtoblem: A gas is collected in a 213 ml flask at
100.0oC and 754 torr.The mass of the gas collected is 0.582 g.
Determine the molar mass of the gas.
Unit conversions
Solution: MM = m RT
PV MUST be made !
R = 0.082057 L•atm Units must be the same for P, V and T
mol•K

V = 213 mL = 0.213 L T = 100.0oC = 373.15 K

P = 754 torr = 0.992 atm

0.582 gx 0.082057L•atm x 373.15 K

Solving for MM :
mol•K
0.992 atm x 0.213 L
= 84.3 g/mol 24
Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures
For a mixture of gases in a container, the total pressure
exerted is the sum of the pressures that each gas would
exert if it were alone.

Gas A Gas B Mixture of gases A and B

in container of same
volume.
Notice pressure valve
reading increased. 25
Consider a case in which two gases, A and B, are in a container
of volume V.

nART nA is the number of moles of A

PA =
V
PA is the partial pressure of gas A

nBRT nB is the number of moles of B

PB =
V
PB is the partial pressure of gas B

Total pressure = PT = PA + PB = RT (nA + nB)

V

26
 Mole Fractions
A mole fraction is the ratio of the number of moles of a
given component in a mixture to the total number of moles
in the mixture. Mole fractions have the symbol c (chi).
nA
mole fraction of A in a mixture of A and B  cA =
nA + nB

For a given component in a mixture with several components:

n1 n1
c1 = =
n1 + n2 + n3 + .... ntotal

27
 Relationship between Mole Fraction and Partial Pressure

Using the Perfect Gas Law to express the number of moles of

component 1 in a mixture  n1 = P1 V
RT n1
c =
Substituting n1 into mole fraction statement: 1
ntotal

P1 V P1 V
c = RT RT
1

P1 V + P2 V + P3 V + ……
RT RT RT V
P1 + P2 + P3 + …
RT
n1 P1 rearrange
P1
c
1 = = P1 = c1 PT
ntotal PT
= 28
PT
 Partial Pressure Problem
A sample of natural gas contains 8.24 moles of methane,CH4,
0.421 moles of ethane, C2H6, and 0.116 moles of propane, C3H8.
If the total pressure of the gases is 1.37 atm, what is the
partial pressure of propane (C3H8)?

n1
Solution: P1 = c1 PT
c
1 = PT = 1.37 atm
ntotal

c
0.116 moles of C3H8 = 0.0132
=
C3H8
8.24 + 0.421 + 0.116 combined moles of CH4,
C2H6 and C3H8

PC3H8 = 0.0132 x 1.37 atm = 0.0181 atm 29

Examples
What is the total pressure in a balloon filled
with air if the pressure of the oxygen is
170 mm Hg and the pressure of nitrogen is
620 mm Hg?

30
• There are two containers connected by a valve. One holds
4.0 L of N2 at 2.0 atm the other holds 2.0 L of O2 at 8.0
atm.
• The valve is opened. What is
– The pressure of N2 ?
– The pressure of O2 ?
– The total pressure?

2.0 L O2 at 8.0 atm

4.0 L N2 at 2.0 atm 31
Two Boyle's Law calculations will be done. 6.0 L is the volume after the value has
been opened.

Nitrogen point of view ---> (2.0 atm) (4.0 L) = (x) (6.0 L); x = 1.3 atm

Oxygen point of view ---> (8.0 atm) (2.0 L) = (y) (6.0 L); y = 2.7 atm

The total pressure is 1.3 + 2.7 = 4.0 atm

32
A box with a volume of 22.4 L contains 1.0 mol of
nitrogen and 2.0 mol of hydrogen at 0C.
Which of the following statements is true?

(a) The total pressure in the box is 2 atm

(b) The partial pressures of N2 and H2 are equal.
(c) The total pressure is 1 atm.
(d) The partial pressure of N2 is 1 atm

33
 Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT) of Perfect Gases

1. A perfect gas is composed of molecules that are separated

from each other by distances far greater than their own
dimensions.

2. The molecules can be considered to possess mass but have

negligible volume.

3. Gas molecules are in constant motion in random directions.

Collisions among molecules are perfectly elastic and collisions
with the walls of the container are what cause the pressure
observed. Gas molecules exert neither attractive nor
repulsive forces on one another.
34
Elastic Collision

The two identical dots

hit each other and
return to the same
level with kinetic
energy unchanged

35
Inelastic Collision

The dots do not

return to original
levels
they stick together
Kinetic energy after
collision has
changed

36
Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases

4. The average kinetic energy of the molecules is directly

proportional to the temperature of the gas in Kelvin.

No change in temperature means no change in average

kinetic energy (KE)avg

(KE)avg = 3RT
2

37
 Root Mean Square Velocity
The square root of the average of the squares of the particle
velocities is the root mean square speed (urms)

u=  3RT
m
Mass of one mole of gas particles
in kilograms

Value of R to be used (for u ) = 8314.5 J

kmol K

The average distance a particle

travels between collisions in
a particular gas sample is
called its mean free path. 38
 The distribution of speeds
of three different gases
at the same temperature

The distribution of speeds

for nitrogen gas molecules
at three different temperatures

u= m 3RT

39
Effect of Temperature on Molecular Velocity

Due to particle collisions in a real gas,

there is a large range of velocities for
gas particles.

Increasing the temperature causes an

increase in the number of particles
having a wider range of higher
Velocities.

40
Example
Calculate the average molecular speed for
nitrogen and helium at 20C.
N2: M = 28.02 g/mol
3 .8.314
J  293 K
mol  K
3RT =
u g kg
M 28.02  3
mol 10 g
2
m
kg  2 m
J  511
s  511
u  511 kg s
kg 41
He: M = 4.003 g/mol

J
3  8.314  293 K
3RT = mol  K
c
M g kg
4.003  3
mol 10 g

2
m
kg  2 m
J  1350
s  1350
c  1350 kg s
kg

42
 Example
• Calculate the root mean square velocity
of carbon dioxide at 25ºC.
• Calculate the root mean square velocity
of hydrogen at 25ºC.
• Calculate the root mean square velocity
of chlorine at 25ºC.

43
H2: M = 2 g/mol (c = 1928 m/s)

CO2: M = 44 g/mol (c = 411 m/s)

Cl2: M = 71 g/mol (c = 323.6 m/s)

44
 Graham’s Law of Effusion
Effusion is the escape of gases through a small hole into a
vacuum.

Rate of effusion for =gas 1

Rate of effusion for gas 2

 Molar mass of gas 2

Molar mass of gas 1

Diffusion is the term used to describe the mixing of gases

45
Grahams Law
Effusion rate 1 M2

Effusion rate 2 M1
Velocity 1 M2

Velocity 2 M1

Time 2 M2

Time 1 M1
46
 Real Gases

need to correct for V

Volume actually available to gas
molecule = V - nb
n = moles of gas

For an Ideal Gas PV/nRT = 1 b: empirical constant

Only at low pressures, the behavior of gases close to ideal.

At higher pressures gas particles do indeed take up space.
Postulate: Perfect gases have mass, but no volume 47
Real Gases

As particles come closer to each

other at higher pressure, there is
attraction among molecules and
this causes them to collide less

need to correct for P with the walls of the container

and this lowers the pressure.

Postulate: Attractive and repulsive forces negligible

48
Van der Waals Equation

Changes made by Van der

P + n2a V - nb = nRT
V2 Waals correct major flaws in
the KMT model

a, b determined by fitting experimental behavior

a related to intermolecular forces

molecular complexity

b related to molecular volume

b increases with the size of the gas molecule 49

Van der Waals equation
nonideal gas

an 2
( P + V2 ) (V – nb) = nRT
}

corrected corrected
pressure volume

50
5.8
 Where does it come from?

• a and b are determined by experiment.

• a and b are different for each gas.
• Bigger molecules have larger b.
• a depends on both size and polarity.
• a and b are given (don’t memorise).

51
Example
Calculate the pressure of 1.000 mole of
CO2 in a 3.000 L vessel at 0.0°C using
ideal gas and van der Waals’ equations

Ideal gas equation: atm  L

1.000 mol  0.08206 × 273.2 K
nRT mol  K
P =
V 3.000 L

= 7.473 atm
52
CO2: a = 3.59 L2atm/mol2 b = 0.0427 L/mol
P   nRT   n a
2

V  nb




V 2

atm  L
1.000 mol  0.08206 × 273.2 K
mol  K
= L
3.000 L - 1.000 mol  0.0427
mol
L  atm
2

(1.000 mol)2  3.59 2

 mol
= 7.182 atm
(3.000 L)2 53
Calculate the % error when considering this gas
as ideal.
% error = (Pressure ideal – Pressure real)/P ideal
= (7.473 – 7.182)/7.473 x 100 = 3.89%
Note: the % error is < 5% acceptable range

54
 Example

• Calculate the pressure exerted by 0.5000

mol Cl2 in a 1.000 L container at 25.0ºC
• Using the ideal gas law.
• Van der Waal’s equation
– a = 6.49 atm L2 /mol2
– b = 0.0562 L/mol
Answer: (Pperfect=12.23 atm and Preal=10.96
atm)

55
• Calculate the % error when considering this
gas as ideal.

% error = (Pressure ideal – Pressure real)/P ideal

x 100 = (12.23 – 10.96)/12.23 x 100 = 10.38%

Note: % error > 5% this range is not acceptable

56