Question

In a petrochemical plant, butane is stored in a 0.40 m3 spherical tank at a pressure, 20 bar and temperature, 296 K. (i) Determine the change in pressure when butane is heated to the temperature, T(∘C)

Answer 1

In the question, a change in the temperature of butane stored in a tank at a petrochemical plant leads to a change in pressure due to Gay-Lussac's law of gases. The final pressure can be found using the equation P2 = P1 * T2 / T1, ensuring that temperature is in Kelvin.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject of this question is physics, particularly the section dealing with thermodynamics and gas laws. The problem is set in a petrochemical plant and involves a butane storage tank.

When the temperature of a gas (in this case, butane) is increased, the pressure of the gas generally increases as well, assuming the volume is constant. This is due to Gay-Lussac's law, stated as P1/T1 = P2/T2 where P is pressure, T is temperature, and the subscripts 1 and 2 represent initial and final states, respectively. Here, T must be in Kelvin.

First convert the initial and final temperatures to Kelvin (if they aren't given in Kelvin). Calculate the final pressure by rearranging the formula to P2 = P1 * T2 / T1. Keep in mind the pressure in the problem is given in bar, but you might need to convert it to a different unit depending on the specifics of your course or teacher's instruction.

Learn more about Gay-Lussac's law