Which of the noble gases other than radon would you expect to deviate most readily from ideal behavior? Use the density data in Table 7.8 to provide evidence in support of your answer.

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Recall the concept of ideal gas behavior, which assumes that gas particles do not interact and occupy no volume. Real gases deviate from this behavior under certain conditions.

Step 2: Understand that noble gases are generally non-reactive and are often used to study ideal gas behavior. However, they can deviate from ideal behavior due to intermolecular forces and the volume occupied by the gas particles.

Step 3: Consider the factors that cause deviation from ideal gas behavior: high pressure, low temperature, and the size of the gas particles. Larger gas particles and stronger intermolecular forces lead to greater deviation.

Step 4: Review the density data from Table 7.8. Density is related to the molar mass and volume of the gas. A higher density suggests a larger molar mass, which often correlates with larger atomic size and stronger London dispersion forces.

Step 5: Compare the densities of the noble gases other than radon. Identify the gas with the highest density, as it is likely to have the largest atomic size and strongest intermolecular forces, leading to the greatest deviation from ideal behavior.

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law describes the behavior of ideal gases through the equation PV=nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature. Ideal gases are assumed to have no intermolecular forces and occupy no volume. However, real gases deviate from this behavior under high pressure and low temperature, where interactions between gas molecules become significant.

Noble Gases and Their Properties

Noble gases, such as helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon, are characterized by their complete valence electron shells, making them largely unreactive. However, as you move down the group in the periodic table, the atomic size and mass increase, leading to stronger London dispersion forces. This means that heavier noble gases are more likely to deviate from ideal gas behavior due to increased intermolecular attractions.

Density and Deviations from Ideal Behavior

Density is defined as mass per unit volume and can provide insights into the behavior of gases. In the context of noble gases, a higher density indicates a greater mass of gas in a given volume, which can suggest stronger intermolecular forces. By analyzing density data, one can infer which noble gas is more likely to deviate from ideal behavior, as denser gases tend to experience more significant interactions that lead to deviations from the predictions of the Ideal Gas Law.

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Density from Ideal Gas Law

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