A mixture of two gases has a total pressure of 6.7 atm. If one gas has a partial pressure of 4.1 atm, what is the partial pressure of the other gas?

1 Answer
Jul 14, 2016

The partial pressure of the other gas is #color(brown)(2.6 atm.#

Explanation:

Before we begin let me introduce Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures equation:
dl.clackamas.edu

Where #P_T# is the total pressure of all gases in the mixture and #P_1#, #P_2#, etc. are the partial pressures of each gas.

Based on what you've given me, we know the total pressure, #P_T#, and one of the partial pressures (I'll just say #P_1#). We want to find #P_2#, so all we have to do is rearrange to equation to obtain the value of the second pressure:

#P_2 = P_T - P_1#

#P_2 = 6.7 atm - 4.1 atm#

Therefore, #P_2# = 2.6 atm