Final answer:
The partial pressure of a gas is its contribution to the total pressure in a mixture. Dalton's Law states that the total pressure is the sum of all the partial pressures of the gases. Methods to determine partial pressure include using mole fraction, vapor pressure adjustments, or the ideal gas law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The partial pressure of a gas is the pressure that particular gas contributes to the total pressure when it is part of a mixture of gases. This concept is important in understanding how gases behave when they are combined. According to Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures, the total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the individual partial pressures of each gas in the mixture.
To determine the partial pressure of a gas in a mixture, you can use the following methods:
- Measure the mole fraction of the gas in the mixture and multiply it by the total pressure of the mixture.
- For a gas collected over water, subtract the vapor pressure of water from the total pressure to get the gas's partial pressure.
- If the volume, temperature, and moles of the gas are known, the ideal gas law can be applied separately for each gas to find its partial pressure.
The mole fraction is another way to express the amount of each gas in a mixture and is used when applying Dalton's Law. The partial pressure of a gas also influences its rate of diffusion according to the pressure gradient, affecting how the gas spreads and mixes with others in the environment.