Topic 7: Ideal Gases and Thermal properties - Questions

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.1 Which of the following statements regarding an ideal gas is not true?
A The forces of attraction between the gas molecules is negligibly small.
B All collisions between the gas molecules are perfectly elastic.
C The gas molecules collide with the sides of the container and thus
exert a pressure.
D The volume of the individual gas molecules, collectively, is significant.
(2)

1.2 Which graph best represents the relationship between the pressure p and the
Celsius temperature T of a gas sample at constant volume? (2)

p (kPa) p (kPa)

T (C) T (C)
B
A

p (kPa) p (kPa)

C T (C) D T (C)

1.3 When the volume of a given mass of gas is halved at a given temperature, the
pressure is doubled. Which of the following best explains this fact?
A The force of attraction between the molecules is doubled.
B The kinetic energy of the molecules is doubled.
C The number of collisions per unit time between the molecules and the
walls of the container is doubled.
D The momentum of the molecules is doubled. (2)
1.4 The diagram shows two containers A and B connected by a tube with a stop-
cock (tap.) The volume of container A is V and contains a gas at a pressure p.
Container B is evacuated. The stop-cock is opened and pressure inside A
decreases to ¾ p. The volume of the tube and stop-cock is negligible. If the
temperature of the gas remains constant, what is the volume of B?

A B

1
A V
3
2
B V
3
3
C V
4
4
D V (2)
3

1.5 Which of the following statements is false? As the temperature of the gas in
the container increases, …
A the molecules move more quickly
B the molecules expand.
C the molecules collide more often.
D the molecules move further apart. (2)

1.6 Which of the following will double the volume of a given mass of gas?
A Pressure is halved at constant temperature.
B Temperature in Celsius, is halved at constant pressure.
C Pressure is doubled and kelvin temperature is halved.
D The pressure is doubled at constant temperature.
(2)

LONG QUESTIONS
1 An agricultural company wants to measure the average volume of a very
small type of seed. They use the apparatus sketched below to do this, with a
constant temperature being maintained at all times.
Pressure gauge
Funnel
tap
20 cm3
Seed chamber
X Air tight piston Y
1.1 With the tap open and the piston at X, the pressure gauge indicates that the
atmospheric pressure is 1,02 x 105 Pa. The tap is closed and the piston is
slowly pushed to Y. The gauge now reads 1,62 x 105 Pa. The internal volume
of the piston is 20 cm3. Show that the volume of the air in the rest of the
apparatus is 34 cm3.
[CL3](6)
1.2 The tap is now opened and the piston returned to X. A sample of seeds is
poured in through the funnel and the tap is closed. The piston is slowly
pushed to Y and the pressure gauge reads 1,95 x 105 Pa.
1.2.1 Calculate the volume of air in the apparatus.
[CL2](3)
1.2.2 Thus calculate the volume of seeds present. [CL3](1)

2.1 At sea level a small, soft plastic milk bottle is sealed up with 2 dm3 of air inside
it at 25 ˚C.
The bottle is now submerged below the water, to a pressure of 160 kPa at 15
˚C. What volume does the air inside the bottle now occupy? [CL2] (3)
2.2 During the testing on earth, with an air pressure of 100 kPa, it was found that
the tyre pressure in a moon buggy operated best at 280 kPa.
2.2.1 To what pressure would the tyres have to be inflated on the moon so as to be
ready to use? [CL3](1)
2.2.2 Explain your answer given above. [CL4](2)
2.3 Calculate the pressure of 80 g of butane gas (C4H10) enclosed in a 8 dm3
cylinder at 18 ˚C. [CL3] (4)

3 The sketch below is of a gas syringe. The total capacity of the syringe is 150 cm 3
and the plunger is free to move. 120 cm3 of nitrogen, initially at 298 K is trapped
in the syringe at atmospheric pressure, then the end of the syringe is slowly
immersed in hot water at 77 ˚C.

120 cm3
3.1 Explain why the pressure in the syringe remains at atmospheric pressure, even
when the end of the syringe is immersed in hot water. [CL3] (2)
3.2 Calculate the volume of the gas at 77 ˚C. [CL2] (4)
3.3 Hence, will the plunger remain in the syringe? [CL2] (1)
3.4 Calculate the mass of the nitrogen gas initially in the syringe. [CL3] (5)

4 You are given a sample of oxygen gas.

4.1 Under which conditions of temperature and pressure will this oxygen sample
behave like an ideal gas? [CL2] (2)
4.2 The temperature of the gas increases from 0 ˚C to 273 ˚C. The initial volume of
the sample was 5 dm3. What will the final volume of the sample be? [CL2] (3)

4.3 A cylinder with a volume of 30 dm3 contains oxygen gas at a pressure of 41,6
kPa and a temperature of 27 ˚C. Calculate the mass of the oxygen in the
cylinder. [CL3] (5)

5 A pump is used to inflate a rubber balloon.

V = 120 ml air

450mm valve
balloon

The cylinder of the pump is 450 mm long when the piston is fully out, as
shown above, and the volume of the cylinder is 120 ml. At the outlet of the
cylinder is a valve which allows air to pass through it when the pressure in the
cylinder exceeds the pressure on the other side by more than 50 kPa. On the
reverse stroke, the cylinder fills with air at atmospheric pressure.
Initially the balloon is deflated. The internal volume of the balloon can rise to
240 ml before the balloon rubber in the balloon starts to stretch. Atmospheric
pressure is 100 kPa. Assume that the air temperature remains constant at 25
˚C in all processes.

5.1 With the balloon detached, how far must the piston be pushed down the cylinder
before the valve opens? [CL4] (5)
5.2 If the piston is pushed fully down, what volume will the air that will escapes into
the atmosphere occupy? Explain your answer. [CL3] (4)
5.3 When the balloon is attached, how many strokes of the pump are needed before
the rubber of the balloon starts to stretch? [CL2] (2)
5.4 After the balloon begins to stretch, for each subsequent stroke, the piston has to
be pushed further down than the previous stroke before the valve opens. Explain
why this is so. [CL3] (4)
6 A learner investigates the relationship between pressure and volume of an
enclosed mass of gas at 298 K. She records the volume of the gas for different
pressures in the table below:
Pressure (kPa) Volume (cm3) 1/V (cm-3)
80 43 0,02
160 27 0,04
200 22 (a)
240 18 (b)
6.1 Write down the name of the law being investigated. [CL1] (1)
6.2 Two 1/V values, (a) and (b) have been left out of the table. Calculate these
values. [CL2] (2)
6.3 Draw a graph of pressure against 1/V on graph paper. [CL2] (4)
6.4 Use the graph to determine the volume of the gas at 170 kPa. [CL2] (2)
6.5 Calculate the slope of your graph. [CL3] (2)
6.6 If the experiment was repeated at a higher temperature of 350 K, slightly
different results would be expected. On the same set of axes as used earlier,
draw a sketch of the graph you would expect and label this graph 6.7 [CL3] (2)
Topic 7: Ideal Gases and Thermal properties – Answers

ANSWERS TO MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.1 D – the other distractors are statements of the ideal gas assumptions, this
negates an assumption. [CL1]
1.2 B – the equation is PV = nRT i.e. p = mT, where T is in kelvin and m =
(nR/V). However, for a Celcius temperature, the graph becomes P = mT + c;
where c is (nR/V)x273. [CL3]
1.3 C - this comes from the definition of pressure. Since T is constant, both A and
D are excluded. If a gas deviates from ideal gas behaviour and the force of
attraction increases, then the pressure would decrease. [CL2]
1.4 A – this is a fairly tricky calculation. [CL4]
P A V A =nRT but 0V B=0 RT ;
3
once thetap is opened ; nRT= P A ( V A +V B )
4
3
So P A ( V A +V B )=P A V A since nRT is equal before∧after the tap was opened
4
3 3
P V + P V =P A V A
4 A A 4 A B
3 1
PA V B= P V A
4 4 A
3 V B =1V A
1
V B= V A
3
1.5 B – this question is designed to clarify the difference between the volume the
gas occupies and the negligible size of the particles. [CL1]
1.6 A – the correct answer is simply Boyle’s law. The other options are designed
to test the understanding of kelvin temperature and the correct use of the gas
laws. [CL2]

1.1 P1 V 1=P2 V 2
5 5
1 , 02 x 10 ( 20+V )=1 ,62 x 1 0 (V )
5 5 5
20 , 4 x 1 0 + 1 ,02 x 1 0 ( V )=1 , 62 x 1 0 ( V )
5 5
0 , 6 x 1 0 ( V )=20 , 4 x 1 0 

V =34 c m 
3
(6)

1.2.1 P1 V 1=P2 V 2
5 5
1 , 02 x 10 ( 54 )=1 , 95 x 1 0 (V )
5 5
55 , 08 x 1 0 =1 , 95 x 1 0 ( V )

V =28 ,24 c m 
3
(3)
1.2.2 Vseed = 34,0-28,24 = 5,75 cm3  (1)

2 V 1=2 ; P1=101 kPa ; T 1 =298 K ; P2=160 kPa; T 2=288 K ; V 2=?

note that P 1 has ¿ be understood ¿ at sea level.
P1V 1 P2V 2
2.1 =
T1 T2
101 x 2 160 x V 2
=
298 288
V 2=¿ 1,22 dm3 (3)
2.2 .
2.2.1 On the moon the tyres would have to be inflated to a pressure of 180 kPa. 
(1)
2.2.2 The difference in pressure is 180 kPa, but on the moon there is no
atmospheric pressure i.e. 0 kPa, so the pressure in the tyre would only be
180 kPa. (2)
−3 3
2.3 P=? V =8 x 10 m ; T =( 273+18 ) ; n needs ¿ be calculated
m
n=
M
80
¿
( 48+10 )
¿ 1 , 4 mol 
nRT
p=
V
1, 4 ( 8 , 31 )( 291 )
¿ −3
8 x 10
¿ 416 933 Pa  (4)

3 V 1=120 ; T 1=298 K ; T 2=350 K ; V 2=?

3.1 Because the plunger is free to move, it will move so that the force on each
side of it is equal, i.e. each side is at atmospheric pressure. (2)
V 1T 2
3.2 V 2=
T1
120 (350 )
¿
( 298 )
¿ 140 , 9 c m 
3
(4)
3.3 The plunger will remain in the syringe.  (1)
3.4 PV =nRT
RT
n=
PV
( 8 , 31 )( 298 )
¿
( 101 x 103 ) ( 120 x 10−6 )
n=0,0489 mol
m=nxM =0,0489 x 28=0 , 14 g (5)
4 V 1=5 ; T 1=298 K ;T 2=596 K ; V 2=?
4.1 At high temperature and low pressure
(2)
10 ( 596 )
4.2 V 2=
5
3
¿ 20 d m (3)
4.3 PV =nRT
RT
n=
PV
( 8 , 31 )( 300 )
¿
( 41 , 6 x 103 ) ( 30 x 10−3 )
n=0,05006 mol
m=nxM =0,05006 x 32=0 , 16 g (5)

5 V 1=120 ; P1=100 K ; P2=150 K ; V 2=?

100(120)
5.1 V 2=
150
= 80 ml
80 ml is 2/3 of the volume, so the plunger will be 1/3 down i.e. 150 mm. 
(5)
5.2 120 ml – once the pressure inside the pump is greater than 150 kPa, the
valve opens. As the plunger pushes down the pressure is maintained at
>150 kPa. But the 80 ml of air expands again to 120 ml once it has
escaped into the atmospheric pressure (=100 kPa). (4)
5.3 2 strokes = 240 ml (2)
5.4 Once the balloon begins to stretch the Vexterior > 100 kPa. So Pinside must be
greater than 150 kPa before the valve opens, so the piston needs to be
pushed further down. (4)
6
6.1 Boyle’s law (1)
6.2 (a) 0,045 (b) 0,055 (2)
 Graph to show the relationship between inverse
of volume and pressure
0.07
0.06
inverse of volume (cm3)

0.05
0.04
0.03 6.7
0.02
0.01
0
60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260
Pressure (kPA)
6.3
heading;  axes;  plotting points;  line of best fit (4)

6.4 1/V = 0,042  (allow for some error) (2)

V = 23,8 cm3
6.5 Slope = (0,05-0) /(200-0) = 0,0025 cm3kPa-1 (2)
6.6 The slope is smaller, as slope is 1/nRT.  ( for plotting) (2)