Question

A 1.5 liter flask is filled with nitrogen at a pressure of 12 atmospheres. What size flask would be required to hold this gas at a pressure of 2.0 atmospheres?

Answer 1

`9.0` `"L"`

Explanation:

To solve this equation, we can use the pressure-volume relationship of gases, illustrated by Boyle's law:

`P_1V_1 = P_2V_2` (with constant temperature)

Since we need to find the final volume, let's rearrange this equation to solve for `V_2`:

`V_2 = (P_1V_1)/(P_2)`

Our known variables are

• `P_1` - `12` `"atm"`

• `V_1` - `1.5` `"L"`

• `P_2` - `2.0` `"atm"`

Plugging these into the equation we have

`V_2 = ((12cancel("atm"))(1.5"L"))/(2.0cancel("atm")) = color(red)(9.0` `color(red)("L"`

Thus, when a `1.5`-liter flask containing gas with a pressure of `12` atmospheres is subjected to a decrease in pressure to `2.0` atmospheres, at constant temperature the volume will expand to `color(red)(9.0` liters.