A small cylinder of helium gas used for filling balloons has a volume of 2.30 L and a pressure of 13,800 kPa at 25 °C. How many balloons can you fill if each one has a volume of 1.5 L and a pressure of 1.25 atm at 25 °C?

Verified step by step guidance

Convert the initial pressure of the helium gas from kPa to atm, knowing that 1 atm = 101.325 kPa.

Use the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, to calculate the number of moles (n) of helium in the cylinder. Assume R = 0.0821 L atm / (mol K) and convert the temperature from Celsius to Kelvin by adding 273.15.

Calculate the total number of moles of helium required to fill one balloon using the ideal gas law, with the volume and pressure given for the balloon and the same temperature and R value.

Divide the total number of moles of helium in the cylinder by the number of moles required to fill one balloon to find out how many balloons can be filled.

Ensure that all units match when performing calculations, especially the units of pressure (atm), volume (L), and temperature (K).

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 relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas through the equation PV = nRT. This law is essential for understanding how gases behave under different conditions and allows for the calculation of one variable when the others are known.

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is crucial in chemistry to ensure that all measurements are in compatible units. In this question, pressures are given in kPa and atm, and volumes in liters, necessitating conversions to apply the Ideal Gas Law correctly and compare the gas conditions.

Gas Stoichiometry

Gas stoichiometry involves using the relationships between the amounts of reactants and products in a chemical reaction, particularly for gases. In this scenario, it helps determine how many balloons can be filled by calculating the total volume of helium available and comparing it to the volume required for each balloon.

Recommended video:

Guided course

00:47

Gas Stoichiometry Concepts

Related Practice

Textbook Question

If 2.00 g of N2 gas has a volume of 0.40 L and a pressure of 6.0 atm, what is its Kelvin temperature?

Textbook Question

The matter in interstellar space consists almost entirely of hydrogen atoms at a temperature of 100 K and a density of approximately 1 atom>cm3. What is the gas pressure in millimeters of mercury?

Textbook Question

Dry ice (solid CO2) has occasionally been used as an 'explosive' in mining. A hole is drilled, dry ice and a small amount of gunpowder are placed in the hole, a fuse is added, and the hole is plugged. When lit, the exploding gunpowder rapidly vaporizes the dry ice, building up an immense pressure. Assume that 500.0 g of dry ice is placed in a cavity with a volume of 0.800 L and the ignited gunpowder heats the CO2 to 700 K. What is the final pressure inside the hole?

Textbook Question

Imagine that you have two identical flasks, one containing hydrogen at STP and the other containing oxygen at STP. How can you tell which is which without opening them?