Gases II

Reactions Involving Gases

For reactions involving gases, the ideal gas law
can be used to find the number of moles of gas

PV
n
RT

In reactions of gases, the amount of a gas is

often given as a volume

at STP, use 1 mole = 22.4 L

2
How many liters of O2 are needed to completely
burn 20.0 g of CH4? (assume STP)

CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

How many liters of O2 are needed to completely
burn 20.0 g of CH4? (assume STP)

CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

 molCH4  2 molO2  22.4 LO2 

20.0 gCH4  16.02 g 
 molCH

 molO
  55.9 LO
 2
 CH4  4  2 
What pressure of CO2 will be generated if 20.0 g of CaCO3
decomposes at 1000 C? The container has a volume of 2.00 L

CaCO3(s)  CO2(g) +CaO(s)

What pressure of CO2 will be generated if 20.0 g of CaCO3
decomposes at 1000 C? The container has a volume of 2.00 L

CaCO3(s)  CO2(g) +CaO(s)

nRT T = 1273 K
P V = 2.00 L
V

T and V are known, we need to find n

What pressure of CO2 will be generated if 20.0 g of CaCO3
decomposes at 1000 C? The container has a volume of 2.00 L

CaCO3(s)  CO2(g) +CaO(s)

 mol CaCO3  1mol CO2 


n  20 gCaCO3 

 100.09 gCaCO

 1mol CaCO
  0.1998 mol CO
 2
 3  3 

P 

nRT 0.1998 mol  0.0821Latm K 1mol 1 1273 K  
 10.4 atm
V 2.00 L
 Gas laws and limiting reagents
PV
n
RT

Since V and T are the same for all gases in the mixture

n is proportional to P

8
Consider the following reaction

CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

If the pressure of O2 and CH4 are both 1 atm,

which gas is the limiting reagent?
CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

P CH4 P O2 limiting reactant

1 1
1 2
2 1
2 2
2 3
2 4
2 5
CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

P CH4 P O2 limiting reactant

1 1 O2
1 2 None
2 1 O2
2 2 O2
2 3 O2
2 4 None
2 5 CH4
 Kinetic Molecular Theory
Gas molecules are constantly
moving

Attraction between particles is

negligible

The size of the molecules is small

compared to the space between them

The average kinetic energy of the

particles is directly proportional to
temperature in K
12
Kinetic Molecular Theory

Molecules are in
constant motion

Collisions with
container cause
pressure

There is much
space between
molecules

13
 Compressibility

Because there is a lot space between molecules

the gas molecules can be squeezed closer together
14
 Density

Because there is a lot of

space in the structure of a
gas, it has a low density

15
Density & Pressure

Pressure results from

collisions with container walls

More molecules result in

more collisions and therefore
higher pressure

P
d
RT
16
 Boyle’s Law
V is inversely proportional to P

Decreasing the volume forces the molecules

into a smaller spaceleading to more
collisions, higher P

nRT
P
V

17
 Charles’s Law
V is directly proportional to the
absolute T

Increasing T increases average

speed, causing harder and
more frequent collisions

To keep the P constant, V must

then increase
nRT
V
P
18
Calculating Gas Pressure

19
Gas Speed and Temperature
Average speed is proportional to Temperature

Gas molecules at a given temperature may

travel at different speeds

Average kinetic energy of the gas molecules

depends on the average mass and velocity

20
 Boltzman Distribution

Fraction of
Molecules

Molecular Speed

The distribution of speeds follows a pattern called

a Boltzman distribution

21
 Kinetic Energy and
Molecular Velocities
Average kinetic energy of the gas molecules
depends on the average mass and velocity
KE = ½mv2

Gases in the same container have the same

temperature, the same average kinetic energy

Lighter particles will have a faster average

velocity than more massive particles

22
Root Mean Square Average Velocity

One type of average velocity is called the root-

mean-square average velocity, urms

3RT
urms 
M
R = gas constant
T = Temperature in K
M = molecular weight in kg/mol

note the gas constant has different units

in this equation R = 8.314 J mol-1 K-1
Find the RMS speed of N2 gas at 600 oC.
Find the RMS speed of N2 gas at 600 oC.

R must be 8.314 J K-1 mol-1

M is the molecular mass in kg/mol
T – Temperature in K

3RT
u 
M
 
3 8.31J K 1mol1 600  273 K 
0.028 g mol1
m
 881.6
s
Molecular Speed vs. Molar Mass
32

28

18
4
2

3RT
urms 
M
Heavier molecules have a slower average speed
26
Temperature vs. Molecular Speed

3RT
urms 
M

Average speed increases

with temperature

27
 Mean Free Path
Molecules in a gas travel in
straight lines until they collide
with another molecule or the
container

the average distance a

molecule travels between
collisions is called the mean
free path

28
 Diffusion
The process of a collection of molecules spreading
out from high concentration to low concentration is
called diffusion

Diffusion rates depend on average speed

29
 Effusion

The process by which gas molecules escapes

through a small hole is called effusion

30
Graham’s Law of Effusion and
Diffusion
For two different gases at the same temperature,
the ratio of their rates of effusion or diffusion is
given by Graham’s Law

rate gas A Molar Massgas B

 constant T
rate gas B Molar Massgas A

Molar Mass gas B

rate gas A   rate gas B
Molar Mass gas A

31
A sample of N2 gas was found to effuse 3.2 times
faster than an unknown gas. What is the molecular
weight of the unknown gas?
 rate 2 Mm1

rate1 Mm 2

Mm1
3.2 
28 g mol 1

Mm1
3.2 
2
1
 10.24
28 g mol

 g  g
Mm1  10.24 28   287
 mol  mol
Definition of an Ideal Gas
Molecules of an Ideal gas at so small that
they take up no volume

Molecules of an ideal gas do not interact

with each other except when they collide

Gases act as if they are ideal as long as P is

relatively low and T is relatively high
Real Gases

35
 Real Gases
Real gases often do not behave like ideal gases at
high pressure or low temperature

Ideal gas laws assume

no attractions between gas molecules
gas molecules do not take up space

at low temperatures and high pressures these

assumptions are not valid
The Effect of Molecular Volume
at high P, the volume occupied by the molecules is a
significant amount of the total volume

van der Waals modified the ideal gas equation to

account for the molecular volume

b is called a van der Waals constant and is

different for every gas

nRT nRT
V V - nb 
P P
Ideal real
37
Real Gas Behavior

The molar volume of a

real gas is larger than
predicted by the ideal
gas law at high
pressures

38
 The Effect of Intermolecular
Attractions
At low temperature, the attractions between the
molecules is more significant
the intermolecular attractions makes the real
pressure less than predicted by the Ideal Gas Law
a is constant that is different for every gas

2
nRT nRT n
P P  a 
V V V
Ideal real
39
 Real Gas Behavior

because real molecules attract each other, the molar

volume of a real gas is smaller than predicted by the
ideal gas law at low temperatures

40
Van der Waals’ Equation
PV = nRT ideal gas

ideal gas law is the same for every gas

  
2

 P  a  V - nb  nRT
n
van der Waal’s Gas
  V  
 
a and b are different for each gas

41
Van der Waals Constants
a b
atm L2 mol1 L mol1
He 0.035 0.0238
Ar 1.355 0.0320
Kr 2.352 0.0396
H2 0.245 0.0265
O2 1.382 0.0319
N2 1.370 0.0387
H2O 5.537 0.0305
F2 1.171 0.0290
Cl2 6.343 0.0542
 Real vs Ideal Gases
IDEAL REAL
molecule has no true volume is less than
volume container
whole container is
available
no intermolecular attractive intermolecular
forces forces exist and cause
pressure to be less than
ideal case
Real Gas Behavior

PV
n
RT

For 1 mole of an
ideal gas

PV
1
RT

44