How to Calculate Partial Pressure of Gases in a Mixture

What is the partial pressure of oxygen in a gas mixture that contains 4.10 moles of oxygen, 2.38 moles of nitrogen, and 0.917 mole of carbon dioxide and that has a total pressure of 2.89 atm? The partial pressure of oxygen in the gas mixture is 1.60 atm.

When working with mixtures of gases, it is essential to understand how to calculate the partial pressure of each gas in the mixture. This allows us to determine the contribution of each gas to the total pressure of the mixture. In this case, we are given the moles of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide in the gas mixture, as well as the total pressure of the mixture.

To calculate the partial pressure of oxygen in the mixture, we can use the formula:

Partial Pressure of Gas = Total Pressure of Mixture x (Moles of Gas / Total Moles of Mixture)

Given values:

Total Pressure of Mixture (Ptotal) = 2.89 atm

Moles of Oxygen = 4.10 moles

Moles of Nitrogen = 2.38 moles

Moles of Carbon Dioxide = 0.917 mole

First, we need to calculate the total moles of the mixture:

Total Moles of Mixture = 4.10 moles + 2.38 moles + 0.917 mole = 7.397 moles

Next, we can determine the percentage of oxygen in the mixture:

Percentage of Oxygen = Moles of Oxygen / Total Moles of Mixture = 4.10 moles / 7.397 moles ≈ 0.554

Finally, we can calculate the partial pressure of oxygen:

Partial Pressure of Oxygen = 2.89 atm x 0.554 ≈ 1.60 atm

Therefore, the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas mixture is 1.60 atm.

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