Question

A gas is found to diffuse at half the rate of methane (CH4). Which of the following could be this gas? A) O2 B) N2 C) CO2 D) SO2 E) C2H6.

Answer 1

The gas that diffuses at half the rate of methane (CH4) is oxygen (O2).

Step-by-step explanation:

The gas that diffuses at half the rate of methane (CH4) could be oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), or ethane (C2H6).

To determine which gas it is, we can use the information that hydrogen effuses four times faster than oxygen. If we compare the rates of diffusion of methane and hydrogen, we know that methane diffuses half as fast as hydrogen. Therefore, the gas that diffuses at half the rate of methane must be oxygen (O2).

Therefore, the answer is A) O2.

Answer 2

The gas that could be diffusing at half the rate of methane (CH4) is carbon dioxide (CO2).

Step-by-step explanation:

The gas that could be diffusing at half the rate of methane (CH4) is carbon dioxide (CO2).

To determine the diffusion rate, we can compare the molar masses of the gases. The molar mass of methane is 16 g/mol, and the molar mass of carbon dioxide is 44 g/mol. Since the molar mass of carbon dioxide is larger than that of methane, it will diffuse slower.

For example, if methane diffuses at a rate of 100 ml/s, carbon dioxide would be expected to diffuse at a rate of 50 ml/s.