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Ch 18: Thermal Properties of Matter
Young & Freedman Calc - University Physics 15th Edition
Young & Freedman Calc15th EditionUniversity PhysicsISBN: 9780135159552Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 18, Problem 31g

Oxygen (O2) has a molar mass of 32.032.0 g/mol. How many oxygen molecules traveling at this speed are necessary to produce an average pressure of 11 atm?

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First, understand that the problem involves calculating the number of oxygen molecules needed to produce a certain pressure. We will use the ideal gas law, which is expressed as: P=nRTV, where P is the pressure, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, T is the temperature, and V is the volume.
Next, convert the pressure from atm to pascals (Pa) since the ideal gas constant is typically used in SI units. 1 atm is equivalent to 101325 Pa.
Assume a temperature, as it is not provided in the problem. A common assumption is room temperature, which is approximately 298 K.
Use the ideal gas law to solve for the number of moles n. Rearrange the equation to n=PVRT. You will need to assume a volume or solve for a specific volume if given.
Finally, convert the number of moles to the number of molecules using Avogadro's number, which is NA = 6.022×10^23 molecules/mol. Multiply the number of moles by Avogadro's number to find the number of molecules.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law is a fundamental equation in physics that relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas. It is expressed as PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature. This law is crucial for understanding how gases behave under different conditions and is essential for calculating the pressure exerted by a gas.
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Kinetic Molecular Theory

Kinetic Molecular Theory explains the behavior of gases in terms of the motion of their molecules. It posits that gas molecules are in constant, random motion and that their collisions with the walls of a container result in pressure. The average kinetic energy of the molecules is proportional to the temperature of the gas, which helps in understanding how molecular speed affects pressure.
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Avogadro's Number

Avogadro's Number is a constant that defines the number of molecules in one mole of a substance, approximately 6.022 x 10^23 molecules/mol. This concept is essential for converting between moles and molecules, allowing us to calculate the number of oxygen molecules needed to exert a specific pressure when given the molar mass and conditions of the gas.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Smoke particles in the air typically have masses of the order of 101610^{-16} kg. The Brownian motion (rapid, irregular movement) of these particles, resulting from collisions with air molecules, can be observed with a microscope. Find the root-mean-square speed of Brownian motion for a particle with a mass of 3.00×10163.00\(\times\)10^{-16} kg in air at 300300 K.

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Textbook Question

Oxygen (O2) has a molar mass of 32.0 32.0 g/mol. What is the average translational kinetic energy of an oxygen molecule at a temperature of 300300 K?

Textbook Question

Oxygen (O2) has a molar mass of 32.0 32.0 g/mol. Suppose an oxygen molecule traveling at this speed bounces back and forth between opposite sides of a cubical vessel 0.100.10 m on a side. What is the average force the molecule exerts on one of the walls of the container? (Assume that the molecule's velocity is perpendicular to the two sides that it strikes.)

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Textbook Question

Oxygen (O2) has a molar mass of 32.0 32.0 g/mol. What is the momentum of an oxygen molecule traveling at this speed?

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Textbook Question

Calculate the mean free path of air molecules at 3.50×10133.50\(\times\)10^{-13} atm and 300300 K. (This pressure is readily attainable in the laboratory; see Exercise 18.2318.23.) As in Example 18.818.8, model the air molecules as spheres of radius 2.0×10102.0\(\times\)10^{-10} m.

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Textbook Question

At what temperature is the root-mean-square speed of nitrogen molecules equal to the root-mean-square speed of hydrogen molecules at 20.020.0°C? (Hint: Appendix D shows the molar mass (in g/mol) of each element under the chemical symbol for that element. The molar mass of H2 is twice the molar mass of hydrogen atoms, and similarly for N2.)

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