Final answer:
Safety cans are recommended over plastic ones for carrying flammable liquids due to the risks associated with temperature-induced pressure changes. A can's pressure will increase if the temperature rises, which is why it's essential to store gasoline below 120 °F and to avoid incineration. Using the ideal gas law, we determined that a gasoline can at an initial pressure of 360 kPa will reach a pressure of 391.52 kPa if the temperature rises from 24 °C to 50 °C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question concerns the safety procedures for storing flammable liquids and the effects of temperature on gas pressure, which is relevant to the field of Chemistry. These safety regulations are crucial in preventing accidents caused by the expansion of gases at higher temperatures, which could result in increased pressure within containers, leading to potential ruptures or explosions.
(a) The warning 'Store only at temperatures below 120 °F (48.8 °C). Do not incinerate.' is there because flammable liquids like gasoline can expand and increase in pressure when the temperature rises, posing a risk of explosion if the container is not adequately vented or designed to handle such pressure. Incineration poses an imminent danger of explosion and fire.
(b) To calculate the new pressure in the can if the gas within it reaches a temperature of 50 °C, we can use the ideal gas law. Assuming the amount of gas and volume of the can remain constant, the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature (in Kelvins). Using the formula P1/T1 = P2/T2, where P1 is the initial pressure, T1 is the initial temperature in Kelvins (24 °C = 297 K), P2 is the final pressure, and T2 is the final temperature in Kelvins (50 °C = 323 K), we can solve for P2.
(P2) = (P1 * T2) / T1 = (360 kPa * 323 K) / 297 K = 391.52 kPa.
Therefore, the new pressure in the can at 50 °C would be approximately 391.52 kPa.