A rigid gas vessel sealed on a meteorological satellite initially contains a fixed volume of an ideal gas at a pressure of and a temperature of . During an orbital maneuver, solar radiation heats the vessel to , while a small vent valve simultaneously allows of the gas molecules to escape. Assuming the volume of the vessel remains constant, what is the final pressure of the gas inside the vessel?
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Answer
According to the ideal gas law (), when volume is held constant, pressure is directly proportional to both the number of moles of gas present and the absolute temperature in Kelvin (). First, convert the initial and final temperatures to Kelvin: and . Because of the gas escapes, remains inside the vessel, so . Calculating final pressure yields .
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Ideal Gas Equation and Combined Gas Behavior
Estimated Time:2m 0s