Identify the true statement about deviations from ideal gas behavior. (LO 10.12) (a) The attractive forces between gas particles cause the true volume of the sample to be larger than predicted by the ideal gas law. (b) The attractive forces between gas particles most influence the volume of a sample at low pressure. (c) The volume of the gas particles themselves most influences the volume of the sample at low pressure. (d) The volume of the gas particles themselves causes the true volume of the sample to be larger than predicted by the ideal gas law.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of ideal gas law, which assumes that gas particles have no volume and no intermolecular forces. This law is PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is moles of gas, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.
2. Recognize that real gases deviate from ideal behavior due to the volume of gas particles and intermolecular forces. These deviations become significant at high pressures and low temperatures.
3. Analyze statement (a): Consider if attractive forces between particles would cause the actual volume to be larger or smaller. Attractive forces tend to pull particles closer, reducing the volume compared to ideal conditions.
4. Analyze statement (d): Reflect on how the finite volume of gas particles affects the total volume of the gas. The volume occupied by the particles themselves would make the actual volume larger than what is predicted by the ideal gas law, which assumes particles have no volume.
5. Evaluate statements (b) and (c) by considering the impact of pressure on the behavior of gas particles. At low pressures, the volume of the gas particles themselves (not the attractive forces) is more likely to influence the total volume of the gas.

Key Concepts

Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law is a fundamental equation in chemistry that relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of an ideal gas. It is expressed as PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature. This law assumes that gas particles do not interact and occupy no volume, which is not true for real gases under certain conditions.

Deviations from Ideal Behavior

Real gases deviate from ideal behavior due to intermolecular forces and the finite volume of gas particles. At high pressures and low temperatures, these deviations become significant as attractive forces between particles can lead to lower pressure than predicted, and the volume occupied by the gas particles themselves becomes non-negligible. Understanding these deviations is crucial for accurately predicting gas behavior in real-world applications.

Influence of Pressure and Volume

At low pressures, gas particles are far apart, and the volume of the gas is primarily determined by the space between them rather than the volume of the particles themselves. However, as pressure increases, the volume occupied by the gas particles becomes more significant, and attractive forces between particles can lead to a reduction in the volume of the gas compared to what the Ideal Gas Law predicts. This relationship is essential for understanding how gases behave under varying conditions.