The Power of Ideal Gas Equation

How can the ideal gas equation help us determine the initial volume of a balloon?

Given a 1.69 mol sample of freon gas in a balloon, adding 3.50 mol of freon gas increased its volume to 32.3 L. What was the initial volume of the balloon?

Answer:

The initial volume of the balloon when a 1.69 mol sample of freon gas was placed in a balloon, and adding 3.50 mol of freon gas to it increased its volume to 32.3 L is 17.5 L.

The ideal gas equation is a powerful tool in understanding the behavior of gases under different conditions. By applying the ideal gas equation, we can solve for unknown variables such as volume, pressure, temperature, and amount of gas.

The ideal gas equation is represented as PV = nRT, where P is the pressure, V is the volume, n is the amount of substance (in moles), R is the ideal gas constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin.

When dealing with changes in conditions, such as adding more gas to a balloon, we can use the ideal gas equation to determine the initial volume of the balloon. By applying the principle that the ratio of volume to amount of gas is constant, we can set up an equation to solve for the initial volume.

In the case given, we used the equation V1/n1 = V2/n2, where V1 is the initial volume, n1 is the initial amount of gas, V2 is the final volume, and n2 is the final amount of gas. By substituting the values into the equation and solving for the initial volume, we found it to be 17.5 L.

Understanding and applying the ideal gas equation allows us to make accurate predictions and calculations in various scenarios involving gases. It is a fundamental concept in the study of gas behavior and plays a crucial role in many scientific and engineering applications.