Concentrations and Gas Calculations
Concentration calculations use the simple relationship: moles = concentration × volume. Remember to convert cm³ to dm³ by dividing by 1000, and always use the mole ratios from your balanced equation to work out how much of each substance you're dealing with. These calculations are particularly useful in titrations where you know the volume and concentration of one solution.
The ideal gas equation PV = nRT connects pressure, volume, temperature, and the number of moles of any gas. This equation is incredibly powerful because it works for any gas under normal conditions. Make sure you use the right units: pressure in Pa, volume in m³, temperature in Kelvin (add 273 to Celsius), and R = 8.31.
Converting between units is crucial for gas calculations. Pressure often needs converting from kPa to Pa (multiply by 1000), and volume frequently needs converting between m³ and cm³ (multiply by 1,000,000 to go from m³ to cm³). Getting the units wrong will completely mess up your answer.
Key Point: Always double-check your unit conversions - they're the most common source of errors in gas calculations, and the numbers can look very wrong if you've mixed up m³ and cm³.