Question

A mixture of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Helium gas is collected in a container at 1 atmosphere, if the partial pressure of oxygen is 320 mm and helium's pressure is 112, what is the partial pressure of the nitrogen?

Answer 1

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

Explanation:

And so `P_"Total"=SigmaP_"n"`

And we know `1*atm-=760*mm*Hg`....here a unit of length is used as a unit of pressure.

`1*atm={((320+112+P_(N_2))*mm*Hg)/(760*mm*Hg*atm^-1)}`

`P_(N_2)=(760-320-112)*mm*Hg=328*mm*Hg`

`P_(N_2)=(328*mm*Hg)/(760*mm*Hg)~=1/2*atm`

Answer 2

328 mmHg

Explanation:

Assumptions made: Partial pressures given for oxygen and helium are in mmHg and required answer is in mm Hg.

First, convert the total pressure of system 1 atm to mm Hg:

`P_"total" = 1 atm * (760 mm Hg)/(1 atm)=760 mm Hg`

According to Dalton's Law of partial pressure:

`P_"total"=P_"oxygen"+P_"helium"+P_"nitrogen"`

`760 = 320 + 112 + P_"nitrogen"`

`P_"nitrogen" = 760 - 320 - 112 = 328 mm Hg`

If you need the value in atmosphere:
`P_"nitrogen"=328 mm Hg*(1 atm)/(760 mm Hg) = 0.432 atm`