Skip to main content
Pearson+ LogoPearson+ Logo
Ch.5 - Gases
All textbooksTro 4th EditionCh.5 - GasesProblem 122
Chapter 5, Problem 122

A mixture of 8.0 g CH4 and 8.0 g Xe is placed in a container and the total pressure is found to be 0.44 atm. Determine the partial pressure of CH4.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Calculate the number of moles of CH4 using its molar mass (16.04 g/mol).
Calculate the number of moles of Xe using its molar mass (131.29 g/mol).
Determine the total number of moles in the mixture by adding the moles of CH4 and Xe.
Use the ideal gas law to find the mole fraction of CH4: \( \text{Mole fraction of CH4} = \frac{\text{moles of CH4}}{\text{total moles}} \).
Calculate the partial pressure of CH4 using its mole fraction and the total pressure: \( P_{\text{CH4}} = \text{Mole fraction of CH4} \times \text{Total pressure} \).

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
2m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

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

Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures

Dalton's Law states that in a mixture of gases, the total pressure exerted is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas. Each gas in the mixture behaves independently, contributing to the total pressure based on its mole fraction and the total number of moles present.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:27
Dalton's Law and Partial Pressure

Mole Fraction

The mole fraction is a way of expressing the concentration of a component in a mixture. It is calculated by dividing the number of moles of the component by the total number of moles of all components in the mixture. This value is crucial for determining the partial pressure of each gas using Dalton's Law.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:36
Mole Fraction Formula

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 helps in understanding the behavior of gases under various conditions and is essential for calculating the partial pressures when the total pressure and the amounts of gases are known.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:15
Ideal Gas Law Formula
Related Practice
Textbook Question

A mixture of CO(g) and O2(g) in a 1.0-L container at 1.0×103 K has a total pressure of 2.2 atm. After some time, the total pressure falls to 1.9 atm as the result of the formation of CO2. Determine the mass (in grams) of CO2 that forms.

Textbook Question

The radius of a xenon atom is 1.3×10– 8 cm. A 100-mL flask is filled with Xe at a pressure of 1.0 atm and a temperature of 273 K. Calculate the fraction of the volume that is occupied by Xe atoms. (Hint: The atoms are spheres.)

2
views
Textbook Question

Binary compounds of alkali metals and hydrogen react with water to liberate H2(g). The H2 from the reaction of a sample of NaH with an excess of water fills a volume of 0.490 L above the water. The temperature of the gas is 35 °C and the total pressure is 758 mmHg. Determine the mass of H2 liberated and the mass of NaH that reacted.

Textbook Question

In a given diffusion apparatus, 15.0 mL of HBr gas diffuses in 1.0 min. In the same apparatus and under the same conditions, 20.3 mL of an unknown gas diffuses in 1.0 min. The unknown gas is a hydrocarbon. Find its molecular formula.