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#15: The Ideal Gas Law and the

Determination of the Gas Constant, R
Gases defined by 4 properties:
! P = pressure
! V = volume
! n = number of moles of gas
! T = temperature (Kelvin)
Gas Simulation
http://intro.chem.okstate.edu/1314F00/Laboratory/GLP.htm
V !
1
P
V !T
V !n
V !
nT
P
V =
nRT
P
PV = nRT
R = ideal gas constant
for 1 mole of gas at STP:
P = 1 atm
V = 22.414 L
T = 273.15 K
R =
PV
nT
=
1atm ( ) 22.414L ( )
1mol ( ) 273.15K ( )
= 0.0821
L ! atm
mol ! K
An ideal gas behaves according to the
assumptions of kinetic-molecular theory
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Gas Simulation
http://intro.chem.okstate.edu/1314F00/Laboratory/GLP.htm
Deviations from ideality
low temperature high pressure
Our goal in lab this week:
! measure the properties of a sample of
oxygen (not at STP)
! verify the value of R
! Is R constant (within the limits of
experimental error)?
Oxygen
boiling point = -183C
Do you expect it to behave ideally?
decompose potassium chlorate to generate
oxygen gas:
2KClO
3
(s) " 2KCl(s) + 3O
2
(g)
KClO
3
+ MnO
2

O
2

O
2
2KClO
3
(s) " 2KCl(s) + 3O
2
(g)
Goal: determine n, V, P, T and calculate R
1. Calculate n:
weigh solid before and after heating
before = mass KClO
3
+ MnO
2
after = mass KClO
3
+ MnO
2
+ KCl
2KClO
3
(s) " 2KCl(s) + 3O
2
(g)
n = mass loss ( )
mol O
2
32.00g
!
"
#
$
%
&
-
difference = mass O
2
3
KClO
3
+ MnO
2

O
2

O
2
2. Determine Volume:
Volume H
2
O displaced = Volume O
2
generated
for volume determination, weigh beaker
empty and with water
d =
mass
volume
therefore,
volume =
mass H
2
O
density
Appendix A
3. Determine temperature:
measure temperature of the water
assume T(O
2
) = T(H
2
O)
4. Determine pressure:
! atmospheric pressure gauge in lab
! Be sure to record the pressure before leaving
lab - it can change quickly.
but, the gas contains water vapor too:
P
atm
= P
O2
+ P
H2O

P
atm
- P
H2O
= P
O2

Appendix B
Calculate R:
R =
PV
nT
But, how much confidence do
you have in your answer?
Is the calculated value the same as the
literature value, within the range of expected
uncertainty?
What do we mean by experimental uncertainty?
A C
A and C are measured values
standard deviation reects the uncertainty in the mean
B = mean or average
B
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But, all data values also have an associated
uncertainty
A C B
indeterminate error - the range a value has due to
the need to estimate the last digit being reported
Uncertainty is not the same as error
A C B D
D is the true value. (Recall, distance from the
true value reflects the error.)
to summarize:
A C B D
Precision: closeness of A and C to each other (scatter)
Accuracy (error): distance from B to D
Uncertainty: bands around A and C
Measured values: reporting uncertainty
! last digit in recorded values is the uncertain
digit
! convention: +/- 1 in the last digit
speed = 251 mph
range: 250 - 252
Calculated values: determining uncertainty
How does uncertainty in recorded values
propagate through to final calculated value?
R =
PV
nT
Mathematical process: propagation of error
tricky, involves multi-variable calculus
Max - Best - Min method
! Calculate maximum value, with maximum error = Max
! Calculate minimum value, with maximum error = Min
Best = (Max + Min)/2 , or the average
Max - Min = range
Uncertainty = range/2
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Example: 2 solids
mass 1 = 17.2 +/- 0.2 g
mass 2 = 12.5 +/- 0.1 g
What is the sum of the masses?
Max: 17.4 + 12.6 = 30.0 Min: 17.0 + 12.4 = 29.4
Best: (30.0 + 29.4)/2 = 29.7
Uncertainty = (30.0 - 29.4)/2 = 0.3
Sum = 29.7 +/- 0.3 g
General rule for addition and
subtraction:
For addition and subtraction, the
uncertainty is the sum of all the
uncertainties being added or subtracted.
How about multiplication and division?
mass = 1.19 +/- 0.01 g
volume = 0.286 +/- 0.002 mL
What is the density?
Max: 1.20/0.284 = 4.225 Min: 1.18/0.288 = 4.097
Best: (4.225 + 4.097)/2 = 4.161 g/mL
Uncertainty = (4.225 - 4.097)/2 = 0.064
Density = 4.16 +/- 0.06 g/mL
General rule for multiplication and
division:
For addition and subtraction, set up the
calculation to maximize and minimize and
calculate the uncertainty.
For this weeks lab:
! One trial, so you wont calculate std. dev.
! Instead, calculate best value of R and
uncertainty using Max-Best-Min method.
! Does the accepted value of R fall within the
range of your experimental uncertainty?
! If not, why?