I just don't really get it when my chemistry teacher explained it to us. The question on the homework is "Which gas has, under high pressure and low temperature, behavior closest to that of an ideal gas?" The choices are:
1. H2
2. O2
3. NH3
4. CO2
Can you tell me what the answer is and why?
2007-09-19 08:33:17 · 2 answers · asked by Meggie Beth 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
H2 is correct. In an ideal gas, the molecules are "points," which take up no space and exert pressure by hitting the walls of the container. Also, they have no attraction for one another. H2 comes closest to ideal, because it is the smallest and because it is nonpolar (no separation of charges within the molecule that could attract H2's to one another). NH3 and CO2 have slightly charged atoms that could cause attraction. Also, they're "big." O2 is nonpolar, but it's bigger than H2.
2007-09-19 08:46:14 · answer #1 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
H2
2007-09-19 08:37:51 · answer #2 · answered by dragoninator 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋