Question

Air has a density of approximately 1.2 kg/m where as carbon dioxide (CO2) has a density of 1.98 kg/m? If both gases

were put into a glass, which gas would be on the bottom and which would be on the top of the glass? Explain your
answer.
a) Air on the bottom, CO2 on the top due to lower density.

b) CO2 on the bottom, air on the top due to higher density.

c) Both gases mix evenly in the glass.

d) The position of gases depends on the temperature of the environment

Answer 1

CO2 would sink to the bottom of the glass because it has a higher density of 1.98 kg/m³ compared to air's density of approximately 1.2 kg/m³ at sea level.

Step-by-step explanation:

If air and carbon dioxide (CO2) were put into a glass, CO2 would be at the bottom and air on the top. This is because CO2 has a higher density than air. The density of a substance is the ratio of the mass of a sample of the substance to its volume.

Given that the density of air is approximately 1.2 kg/m³ at sea level and CO2 has a density of 1.98 kg/m³, CO2 is heavier than air and would therefore sink to the bottom of the glass. This phenomenon is observed because gases with higher densities will displace gases with lower densities, resulting in a sort of layering effect.