A 400 mL sample of oxygen is cooled from 0°C to -40°C. What is the new volume of oxygen? (Assume that the pressure and number of moles has not changed.)

1 Answer
Feb 19, 2018

#V_(-40^oC) = 341 ml#

Explanation:

This is a Charles Law problem where Volume is directly proportional to Temperature. The empirical relationship is

#Temp prop Vol# => #T = kV# => #k=T/V#

For two different Temperature and Volume conditions with Mass and Pressure constant, the relationship is ...

#k_1 = k_2# => #T_1/V_1 = T_2/V_2#

Given:
#V_1= 400ml# at #T_1 = 0^oC=273K# (use Kelvin in Empirical Gas Laws)
#V_2 = ?# at #T_2=-40^oC=233K#

#"273K"/"400ml" = "233K"/V_2# => #V_2 = 400ml(233cancel(K))/(273cancel(K))# = #341ml#