Which of the following lists the states in order of increasing pressure for a gas sample, given the following pressures: State A: 0.75 atm, State B: 520 mmHg, State C: 105 kPa?

• A. State A < State C < State B
• B. State B < State A < State C
• C. State A < State B < State C
• D. State B < State C < State A

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the pressure values given for each state and their units: State A = 0.75 atm, State B = 520 mmHg, State C = 105 kPa.
2. Step 2: Convert all pressures to the same unit to compare them easily. Common units to use are atmospheres (atm), millimeters of mercury (mmHg), or kilopascals (kPa). For example, convert mmHg and kPa to atm using the following conversions: 1 atm = 760 mmHg and 1 atm = 101.325 kPa.
3. Step 3: Convert State B's pressure from mmHg to atm using the formula: \(\text{Pressure in atm} = \frac{\text{Pressure in mmHg}}{760}\). Similarly, convert State C's pressure from kPa to atm using: \(\text{Pressure in atm} = \frac{\text{Pressure in kPa}}{101.325}\).
4. Step 4: After converting, compare the numerical values of the pressures for States A, B, and C all in atm to determine their order from lowest to highest pressure.
5. Step 5: List the states in order of increasing pressure based on the converted values, which will allow you to select the correct answer choice.