How is the partial pressure of a gas in a mixture calculated?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 22, 2015

A law of partial pressures pertains.

Explanation:

In a gaseous mixture, the pressure exerted by a component is the same it would exert if this gas alone occupied the container. The total pressure is the sum of the individual partial pressures.

#P_(TOTAL) = P_1 + P_2 +...........P_N#

#=# #(n_1RT)/V + (n_2RT)/V +...........(n_nRT)/V#

#=# #((RT)/V)(n_1 +n_2 +...................n_n)#

Thus the pressure exerted by any component is proportional to the mole fraction:

#P_1# #=# #(RT)/Vxx##n_1/(n_1 +n_2+n_3........+n_n)#

The constant of proportionality is #(RT)/V#.

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