If 16 L of a gas at room temperature exerts a pressure of 6 kPa on its container, what pressure will the gas exert if the container's volume changes to 2 L?

1 Answer
Mar 1, 2016

48 kPa

Explanation:

When dealing with pressure-volume questions, it is important to remember that the two are inversely related.

With this in mind, if the volume of the container is reduced (like in the problem when it is changed from 16Lto 2 L) the pressure of the system must increase (granted there is no exchange of mass or change in temperature in the system).

To solve this problem, you can use an adaptation of the ideal gas equation:

P_1V_1=P_2V_2

Where P_1 and V_1 are the initial pressure and volume of the system, and P_2 and V_2 are the final pressure and volume of the system.

From here, just plug in:

P_1V_1=P_2V_2

(P_1V_1)/V_2=P_2

(6kPa*16L)/(2L)=P_2

P_2=6kPa*8

P_2=48kPa