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

1 Answer
Jun 10, 2016

#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#.