1. What is Partial Pressure of a Gas?

Definition: Partial pressure is the pressure that a gas in a mixture would exert if it alone occupied the entire volume.

Purpose: It's essential in gas laws, chemical reactions, and understanding gas behavior in mixtures.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures:

Where:

• \( P_{gas} \) — Partial pressure of the gas (Pascals)
• \( x_{gas} \) — Mole fraction of the gas (dimensionless, between 0 and 1)
• \( P_{total} \) — Total pressure of the gas mixture (Pascals)

Explanation: The mole fraction represents the proportion of the gas in the mixture, which when multiplied by the total pressure gives its partial pressure.

3. Importance of Partial Pressure

Details: Partial pressure determines gas solubility, drives diffusion, and affects chemical equilibrium in reactions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the mole fraction (between 0 and 1) and total pressure in Pascals. The calculator will compute the partial pressure.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What units should I use for pressure?
A: The calculator uses Pascals (Pa), but you can convert from atm (1 atm = 101325 Pa) or mmHg (1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa).

Q2: How do I find the mole fraction?
A: Mole fraction = moles of the gas / total moles of all gases in the mixture.

Q3: Can mole fraction be greater than 1?
A: No, mole fractions range from 0 to 1 for each component, with all fractions summing to 1.

Q4: Does this work for ideal gases only?
A: The formula is exact for ideal gases and a good approximation for real gases at low pressures.

Q5: How does temperature affect partial pressure?
A: Temperature affects the total pressure (via PV=nRT) but not the mole fractions in a closed system.