An ideal gas at pressure 2e5 Pa and temperature 300 K occupies a volume of 0.01 m³. Find the amount of substance — Physics problems | PhysLabo
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Amount of substance of an ideal gas

Medium 10 grade Molecular Physics and Thermodynamics / Ideal Gas

An ideal gas at pressure $p = 2 \cdot 10^5$ Pa and temperature $T = 300$ K occupies a volume $V = 0.01$ m³. Find the amount of substance of the gas. The universal gas constant is $R = 8.31$ J/(mol·K).

Given
  • $p = 2 \cdot 10^5$ Pa
  • $T = 300$ K
  • $V = 0.01$ m³
  • $R = 8.31$ J/(mol·K)
  • $\nu = ?$
Hints
Hint 1 / 2
The equation of state of an ideal gas: $pV = \nu RT$.
Hint 2 / 2
Convert everything to base units: volume in m³, pressure in pascals.
Solution

The Mendeleev-Clapeyron equation: $pV = \nu RT$. Hence

$$\nu = \frac{pV}{RT} = \frac{2 \cdot 10^5 \cdot 0.01}{8.31 \cdot 300} = \frac{2000}{2493} \approx 0.80 \text{ mol}$$

Answer

$\nu \approx 0.80$ mol