Mixing Propane Tanks: What Happens Next?

What will be the final pressure when a 1 m³ rigid tank with propane at 100 kPa, 300 K is connected to another tank of 0.5 m³ with propane at 250 kPa, 400 K?

What will happen when the two tanks containing propane come to a uniform state at 325 K?

Answer:

The final pressure will be 139.97 kPa.

When the two propane tanks are connected and come to a uniform state at 325 K, the final pressure will be 139.97 kPa. This is calculated based on the number of moles of propane in each tank, the gas constant, and the final temperature.

Initially, the number of moles of propane in the 1 m³ tank is calculated to be 0.0401 mol, while in the 0.5 m³ tank it is 0.0376 mol. When the two tanks are connected, the total number of moles becomes 0.0777 mol.

Using the ideal gas equation, the final pressure can be determined by considering the total number of moles, the gas constant, and the final volume of the combined tanks, which is 1.5 m³. The calculation results in a final pressure of 139.97 kPa.

← Navigating safely with channel markers The impact of head injuries in fatal collisions →