Final answer:
A regulator must be attached to gas container hoses to control gas flow and pressure, which is crucial for safety and accuracy in experiments. Regulators prevent hazardous surges particularly when gases are stored in high-pressure, rigid containers that don't expand.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before using gas containers in laboratory settings, it is crucial to attach a regulator to the hoses. This safety device plays a significant role by controlling the flow and pressure of the enclosed gas, ensuring that the gas is released at a manageable and safe rate for use in chemical reactions or other experiments. The significance of the regulator is highlighted when considering containers like metal cylinders used for storing gases at high pressure at room temperature, typically around 200 atmospheres. Such cylinders have a safety factor of 2, meaning they are built to withstand pressures up to 400 atmospheres before risking structural failure. In case of a fire causing the gas temperature to rise, the pressure within the cylinder also increases, leading to potential hazards if the apparatus is used without proper regulation. Therefore, the regulator is essential for both the safety and the precision of gas-based experiments.
Understanding the characteristics of the gases, such as whether a gas behaves ideally and the awareness of the gas laws, aids in estimating the gas quantity in the container. Students may perform experiments involving movable pistons in containers, or contrasting the behaviors of different gases, such as hydrogen (H₂) becoming evenly distributed more quickly than oxygen (O₂) due to its lower molecular weight. Without the use of a regulator, the direct use of gas from rigid containers under high pressure, which are incapable of expanding, can lead to dangerous surges of gas flow or even the rupture of the container.