Gas Volume Calculations
Here's something brilliant about gases - equal volumes of different gases contain the same number of molecules at the same temperature and pressure. Whether it's oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide, they all follow this rule.
At room temperature and pressure (RTP), the molar gas volume is always 24.0 dm³/mol. This means one mole of any gas takes up exactly 24 dm³ of space. Use the formulas v(dm³) = n × 24 or v(cm³) = n × 24000 to work out gas volumes quickly.
For more complex situations, you'll need the ideal gas equation: pV = nRT. Remember your units here - pressure in pascals, volume in m³, temperature in Kelvin °C+273, and R = 8.314 J mol⁻¹K⁻¹.
Unit Watch: Always check your units! Convert kPa to Pa by multiplying by 1000, and don't forget to add 273 to Celsius temperatures.