Question

If four moles of a gas of 5.4 atmospheres have a volume of 120 liters, what is the temperature?

Answer 1

`T=(PV)/(nR)`, i.e. the Ideal Gas equation, and we have all the necessary parameters. We get an answer in degrees Kelvin not Centigrade.

Explanation:

Chemists generally use the gas constant `R`, where `R=0.0821*L*atm*K^-1mol^-1` (why? because chemists typically use litre volumes, and 1 atmosphere is easy to measure by means of a mercury column).

`T` `=` `(5.4*cancel(atm)xx120*cancelL)/(4*cancel(mol)xx0.0821*cancelL*cancel(atm)*K^-1cancel(mol^-1))` `=` `(????)/(K^-1)` `=` `??K`

So the answer, whatever it is, is in degrees `K", absolute temperature"` as required. Remember that `"degrees Kelvin, K"` `=` `""^@C+273.15`.