Chemistry Question: Ideal Gas Law Application

What is the ideal gas law and how is it applied in determining the initial volume of a balloon?

In a specific scenario, a 4.97 mol sample of freon gas was placed in a balloon. By adding 3.50 mol of freon gas to the balloon, its volume increased to 31.9 L. What is the initial volume of the balloon?

Answer:

The initial volume of the balloon was calculated to be approximately 45.29 liters using the principles of the ideal gas law and the relationship between volume and moles of gas.

Understanding the Ideal Gas Law in Chemistry

The ideal gas law is a fundamental principle in chemistry that describes the behavior of gases under varying conditions. It is represented by the equation 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.

When dealing with constant pressure and temperature, the ideal gas law equation is simplified to V = nR, indicating that volume is directly proportional to the number of moles of gas present.

In the given scenario, the initial volume of the balloon was determined by calculating the increase in volume resulting from the addition of 3.50 moles of freon gas. This change in volume, when applied to the initial number of moles, allowed for the calculation of the initial volume of the balloon.

By understanding the principles of the ideal gas law and its application in scenarios involving volume, pressure, and moles of gas, the initial volume of the balloon was accurately determined.