An aerosol spray can with a volume of 250 mL contains 2.30 g of propane gas (C3H8) as a propellant. c. The can’s label says that exposure to temperatures above 130°F may cause the can to burst. What is the pressure in the can at this temperature?

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Convert the temperature from Fahrenheit to Kelvin. The formula to convert Fahrenheit to Kelvin is K = (F - 32) * 5/9 + 273.15.

Step 2: Convert the mass of propane gas into moles. The molar mass of propane (C3H8) is approximately 44.1 g/mol. Use the formula n = m/M, where n is the number of moles, m is the mass and M is the molar mass.

Step 3: Convert the volume of the aerosol can from milliliters to liters. 1 L = 1000 mL.

Step 4: Use the ideal gas law equation, P = nRT/V, to calculate the pressure. In this equation, P is the pressure, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant (0.0821 L·atm/(K·mol) for this problem), T is the temperature in Kelvin, and V is the volume in liters.

Step 5: Plug in the values obtained from the previous steps into the ideal gas law equation to calculate the pressure. Remember, the pressure will be in atmospheres (atm) because of the units of the gas constant we used.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

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

Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law is a fundamental equation in chemistry that relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas. It is expressed as 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 in Kelvin. This law allows us to calculate the pressure of a gas when its volume, temperature, and amount are known.

Conversion of Temperature

In gas law calculations, temperature must be expressed in Kelvin rather than Celsius or Fahrenheit. To convert Fahrenheit to Kelvin, use the formula K = (°F - 32) × 5/9 + 273.15. This conversion is crucial because the gas laws are derived based on absolute temperature, ensuring accurate calculations of gas behavior under varying conditions.

Molar Mass and Moles

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). For propane (C3H8), the molar mass is approximately 44.1 g/mol. To find the number of moles of propane in the aerosol can, divide the mass of propane by its molar mass. This value is essential for applying the Ideal Gas Law to determine the pressure in the can.

Recommended video:

Guided course

02:11

Molar Mass Concept

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Carbon dioxide makes up approximately 0.04% of Earth’s atmosphere. If you collect a 2.0-L sample from the atmosphere at sea level (1.00 atm) on a warm day (27°C), how many CO2 molecules are in your sample?

Textbook Question

A scuba diver’s tank contains 0.29 kg of O2 compressed into a volume of 2.3 L. b. What volume would this oxygen occupy at 26°C and 0.95 atm?

Textbook Question

An aerosol spray can with a volume of 250 mL contains 2.30 g of propane gas (C3H8) as a propellant. a. If the can is at 23°C, what is the pressure in the can?

Textbook Question

A 35.1 g sample of solid CO2 (dry ice) is added to a container at a temperature of 100 K with a volume of 4.0 L. If the container is evacuated (all of the gas is removed), sealed, and then allowed to warm to room temperature (𝑇=298 K) so that all of the solid CO2 is converted to a gas, what is the pressure inside the container?

Textbook Question

A 334-mL cylinder for use in chemistry lectures contains 5.225 g of helium at 23°C. How many grams of helium must be released to reduce the pressure to 75 atm assuming ideal-gas behavior?

Textbook Question

Chlorine is widely used to purify municipal water supplies and to treat swimming pool waters. Suppose that the volume of a particular sample of Cl2 gas is 8.70 L at 895 torr and 24°C. b. What volume will the Cl2 occupy at STP?