Consider the following gases, all at STP: Ne, SF6, N2, CH4.
(g) ...

Question

Consider the following gases, all at STP: Ne, SF6, N2, CH4. 
(g) Which one would have the largest van der Waals b parameter?

Accepted Answer

Hi everyone for this problem, we want to know which among the gasses below would have the smallest value for its Vander wal's constant B. So we want to know which will have the smallest value. Our Vander wal's constant B accounts for volume. Okay, so when we think of this constant be it accounts for the volume of the particles that the gas actually occupies. So let's take a look at each of our options here individually to see which one is going to have the smallest value for B which essentially is speaking to its volume. So for the first one, C4. H 10. Okay, so this is a chain of atoms. We have carbon and hydrogen, which means it's going to be very large in terms of its volume. And so this we can say is going to have the largest B value Out of our four. Okay, because it's a chain of atoms. Next we have neon neon, this is mon atomic. It's just 11 atom and it has a smaller radius than just oxygen. So we can see that our next thing is 02. So neon has a smaller radius than just oxygen. So that means it's smaller than 02. Okay, so this is going to be smaller than 02. Okay, And for 02, this is next to neon. So it's going to be close but it's going to also be small And then we have in terms of value p three. This one has a central atom phosphorus with three hydrogen surrounding it. So it must be larger than 02. So this one's larger than 02. So, we're looking at size here because size is going to equate to the volume, so because neon has the smallest radius, it's going to have the smallest value for B. So, our answer here is neon and it's because it has the smallest radius. Okay, So because it has the smallest radius, it's going to have the smallest value for the Vander wal's constant B. That's the end of this problem. I hope this was helpful.

Consider the following gases, all at STP: Ne, SF6, N2, CH4. (g) Which one would have the largest van der Waals b parameter?

Watch next