The Henry’s law constant for helium gas in water at 30 °C is 3.7 * 10^-4 M/atm and the constant for N2 at 30 °C is 6.0 * 10^-4 M/atm. If the two gases are each present at 1.5 atm pressure, calculate the solubility of each gas.

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand Henry's Law, which states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid. The formula is given by S = kH * P, where S is the solubility, kH is the Henry's law constant, and P is the partial pressure of the gas.

Step 2: Identify the given values for helium: the Henry's law constant (kH) is 3.7 * 10^-4 M/atm and the partial pressure (P) is 1.5 atm.

Step 3: Calculate the solubility of helium using the formula S = kH * P. Substitute the given values for helium into the equation.

Step 4: Identify the given values for nitrogen (N2): the Henry's law constant (kH) is 6.0 * 10^-4 M/atm and the partial pressure (P) is 1.5 atm.

Step 5: Calculate the solubility of nitrogen using the formula S = kH * P. Substitute the given values for nitrogen into the equation.

Key Concepts

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

Henry's Law

Henry's Law states that the amount of gas that dissolves in a liquid at a given temperature is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. This relationship can be expressed mathematically as C = kH * P, where C is the concentration of the gas in the liquid, kH is the Henry's law constant, and P is the partial pressure of the gas.

Solubility

Solubility refers to the maximum amount of a substance that can dissolve in a given quantity of solvent at a specific temperature and pressure. In the context of gases, solubility is influenced by factors such as temperature, pressure, and the nature of the gas and solvent, which can affect how much gas can be dissolved in the liquid.

Units of Concentration

In this context, the solubility of gases is expressed in molarity (M), which is moles of solute per liter of solution. Understanding how to convert between different units of concentration and how to apply them in calculations is essential for determining the solubility of gases using Henry's Law.

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