Consider the apparatus shown in the following drawing. (a) When the valve between the two containers is opened and the gases are allowed to mix, how does the volume occupied by the N2 gas change?

Key Concepts

Gas Laws

Gas laws describe the behavior of gases in relation to pressure, volume, and temperature. The ideal gas law (PV=nRT) is particularly relevant, as it relates these variables for an ideal gas. Understanding how gases expand to fill available volume is crucial when analyzing the mixing of gases in the apparatus.

Partial Pressure

Partial pressure is the pressure exerted by a single gas in a mixture of gases. According to Dalton's Law, the total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas. This concept is essential for understanding how the pressures of helium and argon will change when the gases mix.

Volume and Molar Relationships

The volume occupied by a gas is directly related to the number of moles present and the conditions of temperature and pressure. When gases mix, they will occupy the total volume available, and the distribution of gas molecules will depend on their initial conditions. This relationship is key to predicting how the volume of nitrogen gas will change in the given scenario.