Answer to Question #161377 in General Chemistry for Tyler Murphy

Question

Methane gas, CH4(g), can be compressed into a container to be used as ‘cleaner-burning’ fuel. A company compresses 650.0 L of methane gas at 1.4 atm into a small 175.0 L canister. To do this, the methane is cooled from 23.0°C to lower temperature, and the gas is pressurized to 4.5 psi. Calculate the temperature, in °C, that is required for this compression. {/6}

Answer 1

V₁= 650L

V₂= 175L

P₁= 1.4atm

P₂= 4.5psi

Conversion:

1psi = 0.068atm

4.5psi= 0.068 x 4.5 = 0.306atm

T₁= 23°C= 297K

Using the general gas equation

P₁V₁/T₁= P₂V₂/T₂

T₂= P₂V₂T₁/P₁V₁ = 0.306x175x297/1.4 x 650

T₂= 17.48K

= 17.48-273°C = -255.52°C