Question

A container under `2558*"psi"` pressure contains carbon dioxide and whose partial pressure is `54.6*"bar"` and `NO_2`? What is `P_(NO_2)` in atmospheres?

Answer 1

The sum of the partial pressures is equal to the total pressure.

Explanation:

`"Dalton's Law of partial pressures"` holds that in a gaseous mixture, the total pressure is the sum of the individual partial pressures; i.e. the sum of the pressures of the components if they ALONE occupied the container.

You have a real dog's breakfast of pressure terms here that can only have come from the US of A.

Anyway the total pressure is...................

`P_"Total"=2558*"psi"=(2558*"psi")/(14.7*"psi"*atm^-1)=174*atm=174*"bar................................"`

which is a prodigiously high pressure. (Note that `1*"bar"` is as near as dammit equal to `1*atm`).

Now `P_"Total"=P_(NO_2)+P_(CO_2)`

And thus..................................

`P_(NO_2)=P_"Total"-P_(CO_2)=(174-54.6)*atm=119.4*atm`.

These are exceptionally high pressures, and the vessel containing these gases would be exceptionally sturdy.