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Vapor pressure, partial pressure, and dalton’s law

Vapor pressure is defined as the pressure at which a gas coexists with its solid or liquid phase. Vapor pressure is created by faster molecules that break away from the liquid or solid and enter the gas phase. The vapor pressure of a substance depends on both the substance and its temperature—an increase in temperature increases the vapor pressure.

Partial pressure is defined as the pressure a gas would create if it occupied the total volume available. In a mixture of gases, the total pressure is the sum of partial pressures of the component gases , assuming ideal gas behavior and no chemical reactions between the components. This law is known as Dalton’s law of partial pressures    , after the English scientist John Dalton (1766–1844), who proposed it. Dalton’s law is based on kinetic theory, where each gas creates its pressure by molecular collisions, independent of other gases present. It is consistent with the fact that pressures add according to Pascal’s Principle . Thus water evaporates and ice sublimates when their vapor pressures exceed the partial pressure of water vapor in the surrounding mixture of gases. If their vapor pressures are less than the partial pressure of water vapor in the surrounding gas, liquid droplets or ice crystals (frost) form.

Is energy transfer involved in a phase change? If so, will energy have to be supplied to change phase from solid to liquid and liquid to gas? What about gas to liquid and liquid to solid? Why do they spray the orange trees with water in Florida when the temperatures are near or just below freezing?

Yes, energy transfer is involved in a phase change. We know that atoms and molecules in solids and liquids are bound to each other because we know that force is required to separate them. So in a phase change from solid to liquid and liquid to gas, a force must be exerted, perhaps by collision, to separate atoms and molecules. Force exerted through a distance is work, and energy is needed to do work to go from solid to liquid and liquid to gas. This is intuitively consistent with the need for energy to melt ice or boil water. The converse is also true. Going from gas to liquid or liquid to solid involves atoms and molecules pushing together, doing work and releasing energy.

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Phet explorations: states of matter—basics

Heat, cool, and compress atoms and molecules and watch as they change between solid, liquid, and gas phases.

States of Matter: Basics

Section summary

  • Most substances have three distinct phases: gas, liquid, and solid.
  • Phase changes among the various phases of matter depend on temperature and pressure.
  • The existence of the three phases with respect to pressure and temperature can be described in a phase diagram.
  • Two phases coexist (i.e., they are in thermal equilibrium) at a set of pressures and temperatures. These are described as a line on a phase diagram.
  • The three phases coexist at a single pressure and temperature. This is known as the triple point and is described by a single point on a phase diagram.
  • A gas at a temperature below its boiling point is called a vapor.
  • Vapor pressure is the pressure at which a gas coexists with its solid or liquid phase.
  • Partial pressure is the pressure a gas would create if it existed alone.
  • Dalton’s law states that the total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures of all of the gases present.

Conceptual questions

A pressure cooker contains water and steam in equilibrium at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. How does this greater pressure increase cooking speed?

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Why does condensation form most rapidly on the coldest object in a room—for example, on a glass of ice water?

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What is the vapor pressure of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) at 78 . 5 º C size 12{ +- "78" "." 5°C} {} ?

The phase diagram (pressure versus temperature graph showing the three phases) for carbon dioxide. The triple point is five point one one atmospheres and negative fifty-six point six degrees Celsius. The critical point is seventy-three atmospheres and thirty-one degrees C. The phase change from solid to vapor at standard pressure of one atmosphere is negative seventy-eight point five degrees C.
The phase diagram for carbon dioxide. The axes are nonlinear, and the graph is not to scale. Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide and has a sublimation temperature of 78 . 5 º C size 12{ +- "78" "." 5°C} {} .
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Can carbon dioxide be liquefied at room temperature ( 20 º C size 12{"20"°C} {} )? If so, how? If not, why not? (See [link] .)

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Oxygen cannot be liquefied at room temperature by placing it under a large enough pressure to force its molecules together. Explain why this is.

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What is the distinction between gas and vapor?

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Questions & Answers

how does the planets on our solar system orbit
cheten Reply
how many Messier objects are there in space
satish Reply
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Richard Reply
what are astronomy
Issan Reply
Astronomy (from Ancient Greek ἀστρονομία (astronomía) 'science that studies the laws of the stars') is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution.
Rafael
vjuvu
Elgoog
what is big bang theory?
Rosemary
what type of activity astronomer do?
Rosemary
No
Richard
the big bang theory is a theory which states that all matter was compressed together in one place the matter got so unstable it exploded releasing All its contents in the form of hydrogen
Roaul
I want to be an astronomer. That's my dream
Astrit
Who named the the whole galaxy?
Shola Reply
solar Univers
GPOWER
what is space
Richard
what is the dark matter
Richard
what are the factors upon which the atmosphere is stratified
Nicholas Reply
is the big bang the sun
Folakemi Reply
no
Sokak
bigbang is the beginning of the universe
Sokak
but thats just a theory
Sokak
nothing will happen, don't worry brother.
Vansh
what does comet means
GANGAIN Reply
these are Rocky substances between mars and jupiter
GANGAIN
Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases , rock and dust that orbit the sun. They are mostly found between the orbits of Venus and Mercury.
Aarya
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John
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John
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John
r u there
John
hey can anyone guide me abt international astronomy olympiad
sahil
how can we learn right and true ?
Govinda Reply
why the moon is always appear in an elliptical shape
Gatjuol Reply
Because when astroid hit the Earth then a piece of elliptical shape of the earth was separated which is now called moon.
Hemen
what's see level?
lidiya Reply
Did you mean eye sight or sea level
Minal
oh sorry it's sea level
lidiya
according to the theory of astronomers why the moon is always appear in an elliptical orbit?
Gatjuol
hi !!! I am new in astronomy.... I have so many questions in mind .... all of scientists of the word they just give opinion only. but they never think true or false ... i respect all of them... I believes whole universe depending on true ...থিউরি
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Jackson
hi
Elyana
we're all stars and galaxies a part of sun. how can science prove thx with respect old ancient times picture or books..or anything with respect to present time .but we r a part of that universe
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Michele
another theory of universe except big ban
Albash Reply
how was universe born
Asmit Reply
there many theory to born universe but what is the reality of big bang theory to born universe
Asmit
what is the exact value of π?
Nagalakshmi
by big bang
universal
there are many theories regarding this it's on you believe any theory that you think is true ex. eternal inflation theory, oscillation model theory, multiple universe theory the big bang theory etc.
Aarya
I think after Big Bang!
Michele
from where on earth could u observe all the stars during the during the course of an year
Karuna Reply
I think it couldn't possible on earth
Nagalakshmi
in this time i don't Know
Michele
is that so. the question was in the end of this chapter
Karuna
in theory, you could see them all from the equator (though over the course of a year, not at pne time). stars are measured in "declination", which is how far N or S of the equator (90* to -90*). Polaris is the North star, and is ALMOST 90* (+89*). So it would just barely creep over the horizon.
Christopher
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Source:  OpenStax, College physics for ap® courses. OpenStax CNX. Nov 04, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11844/1.14
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