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Ch 18: A Macroscopic Description of Matter
Chapter 18, Problem 18

A 6.0-cm-diameter, 10-cm-long cylinder contains 100 mg of oxygen (O₂) at a pressure less than 1 atm. The cap on one end of the cylinder is held in place only by the pressure of the air. One day when the atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa, it takes a 184 N force to pull the cap off. What is the temperature of the gas?

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Key Concepts

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

Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas through the equation PV = nRT. Here, P is the pressure, V is the volume, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. This law is fundamental for understanding the behavior of gases under various conditions.
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Pressure and Force Relationship

Pressure is defined as force per unit area (P = F/A). In this scenario, the force required to remove the cap is related to the pressure exerted by the gas inside the cylinder and the atmospheric pressure outside. Understanding this relationship is crucial for calculating the effective pressure of the gas and subsequently determining its temperature.
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Volume of a Cylinder

The volume of a cylinder can be calculated using the formula V = πr²h, where r is the radius and h is the height. In this problem, the dimensions of the cylinder are essential for determining the volume of gas present, which is necessary for applying the Ideal Gas Law to find the temperature of the gas.
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