Final answer:
The partial pressure of CH4 in a mixture with Xe, given a total pressure of 2.10 atm, can be calculated using its mole fraction, resulting in a partial pressure of 0.70 atm.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the partial pressure of CH4 in a mixture with Xe, we can use Dalton's law of partial pressures. According to Dalton's law, the total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of each gas. We can find the partial pressure of CH4 by calculating its mole fraction in the mixture and then multiplying it by the total pressure.
The mole fraction (χ) of CH4 is calculated as follows:
χCH4 = moles of CH4 / total moles of gases
χCH4 = 0.250 mol CH4 / (0.250 mol CH4 + 0.500 mol Xe)
χCH4 = 0.250 / 0.750
χCH4 = 1/3 or approximately 0.3333
Then, the partial pressure of CH4 is:
PCH4 = χCH4 × Ptotal
PCH4 = 0.3333 × 2.10 atm
PCH4 = 0.70 atm
Therefore, the partial pressure of CH4 in the mixture is 0.70 atm.