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Ch.5 - Gases
Chapter 5, Problem 111

An ordinary gasoline can measuring 30.0 cm by 20.0 cm by 15.0 cm is evacuated with a vacuum pump. Assuming that virtually all of the air can be removed from inside the can and that atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi, what is the total force (in pounds) on the surface of the can? Do you think that the can could withstand the force?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Pressure

Pressure is defined as the force exerted per unit area. In this context, atmospheric pressure is given as 14.7 psi, which means that every square inch of the surface area of the can experiences this force due to the weight of the air above it. Understanding pressure is crucial for calculating the total force acting on the can's surface.
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Surface Area

The surface area of an object is the total area that the surface of the object occupies. For the gasoline can, the dimensions provided (30.0 cm by 20.0 cm by 15.0 cm) can be used to calculate the total surface area. This area is essential for determining how much force is applied by the atmospheric pressure on the can.
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Force Calculation

Force can be calculated using the formula F = P × A, where F is the force, P is the pressure, and A is the area. In this scenario, once the surface area of the can is determined, multiplying it by the atmospheric pressure will yield the total force acting on the can. This calculation is vital to assess whether the can can withstand the resulting force.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Olympic cyclists fill their tires with helium to make them lighter. Calculate the mass of air in an air-filled tire and the mass of helium in a helium-filled tire. Assume that the volume of the tire is 855 mL, that it is filled to a total pressure of 125 psi, and that the temperature is 25 °C. Also, assume an average molar mass for air of 28.8 g/mol. Calculate the mass of helium in a helium-filled tire.

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Textbook Question

Olympic cyclists fill their tires with helium to make them lighter. Calculate the mass of air in an air-filled tire and the mass of helium in a helium-filled tire. Assume that the volume of the tire is 855 mL, that it is filled to a total pressure of 125 psi, and that the temperature is 25 °C. Also, assume an average molar mass for air of 28.8 g/mol. What is the mass difference between the two?

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Open Question
Gaseous ammonia is injected into the exhaust stream of a coal-burning power plant to reduce the pollutant NO to N2 according to the reaction: 4 NH3(g) + 4 NO(g) + O2(g) → 4 N2(g) + 6 H2O(g). Suppose that the exhaust stream of a power plant has a flow rate of 335 L/s at a temperature of 955 K, and that the exhaust contains a partial pressure of NO of 22.4 torr. What should be the flow rate of ammonia delivered at 755 torr and 298 K into the stream to react completely with the NO if the ammonia is 65.2% pure (by volume)?
Open Question
Twenty-five milliliters of liquid nitrogen (density = 0.807 g/mL) is poured into a cylindrical container with a radius of 10.0 cm and a length of 20.0 cm. The container initially contains only air at a pressure of 760.0 mmHg (atmospheric pressure) and a temperature of 298 K. If the liquid nitrogen completely vaporizes, what is the total force (in lb) on the interior of the container at 298 K?
Open Question
A 160.0-L helium tank contains pure helium at a pressure of 1855 psi and a temperature of 298 K. How many 3.5-L helium balloons can be filled with the helium in the tank? (Assume an atmospheric pressure of 1.0 atm and a temperature of 298 K.)
Textbook Question

An 11.5-mL sample of liquid butane (density = 0.573 g/mL) is evaporated in an otherwise empty container at a temperature of 28.5 °C. The pressure in the container following evaporation is 892 torr. What is the volume of the container?

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