Question

NO2 and CO2 have a similar molecular weight. Which gas would you predict to deviate from an ideal

gas? Justify your selection.

Answer 1

CO2 has dipoles that cancel out so the molecule is not really polar because it has no dipole moment. NO2 has a dipole moment and greater intermolecular interaction. NO2 deviates more from ideal gas behavior compared to CO2.

Answer 2

NO2

Step-by-step explanation:

Gases are known to deviate from ideal gas behavior as a result of intermolecular interaction between gas particles. The greater the magnitude of such intermolecular interaction, the greater the degree of deviation of the gas from the ideal gas law.

Now given that CO2 has dipoles that cancel out, the molecule is not really polar because it has no dipole moment. This is unlike NO2 that has a dipole moment and greater intermolecular interaction.

For the reason stated above, NO2 deviates more from ideal gas behaviour compared to CO2.