GAY- LUSSAC’S LAW AND AVOGADRO’S LAW
Gay- Lussac’s law combining volumes states
that when gases react, they do so in volumes
which are in simple ratios to one another and to
the volumes of the products, if gaseous provide
that the temperature and the pressure remain
constant.
EXAMPLES
1. What is the volume of oxygen required to burn
completely 45cm of methane (CH )?
3
4
By Gay- Lussac’s Law:
1 volume of methane required 2 volumes of
oxygen i.e.
1cm of methane requires 2cm of oxygen
3 3
∴ 45cm of methane require 90cm
3 3
of oxygen
2. 20cm of carbon(II) oxide are sparked with 20cm of
3 3
oxygen. If all the volumes of gases are measured
at a S.T.P, calculate the volume of the residual
gases after sparking?
Equation of reaction 2 CO + O g 2g
2Co2g
Combining volume 2 : 1 :
2
Volumes before sparking 20cm 10cm ,
3 3
20cm 3
Volumes after sparking −¿10
20
Residual gases = un-reacted oxygen + carbon
(IV) oxide formed
Volume of residual gas = 10cm + 20cm = 30cm
3 3 3
AVOGADRO’S LAW
Avogadro’s Law states that equal volumes of
all gases at the same temperature and pressure
contain the same number of molecules.
This law means that for all of gases e.g. oxygen,
hydrogen, Chlorine etc if their volumes are the
same, they will have the same number of
molecules.
Avogadro’s Law is easily applied to convert
volume of gases to the number of molecules.
Avogadro’s Law can be used to solve problem
under Gay –Lussac’s law of combining volumes.
The formation of steam from reaction of
Hydrogen and Oxygen is given below:
Reaction: Hydrogen + Oxygen → Steam
Volume: 2 1 2
Gay –Lussac’s: 2 : 1 : 2
Avogadro’s Law: 2 : 1 : 2
This agrees with the equation below:
2H 2 (g) + O2(s ) 2H 2 O(g)
i.e 2 molecules of hydrogen combine with 1
molecule of oxygen to produce 2 molecules of
steam
3. What volume of propane is left unreacted when
80cm 3
of oxygen and 20cm 3
of propane react
according to the equation below?
C3H8(g) + 5O2(g) 3CO2(g) + 4H2O
Solution
C3H8(g) + 5O2(g) 3CO2(g) + 4H2O
1vols 5vols
1cm 3
5cm 3
4cm 3
20cm 3
Volume of the propane before the reaction =20cm 3
The volume that reacted =4cm 3
Volume that did not react= volume before
Reaction – volume that reacted i.e., 20 – 4 =16cm 3
GRAHAM’S LAW OF DIFFUSION.
This law states that, at constant temperature
and pressure, the rate of diffusion of a gas is
inversely proportional to the square root of its
relative molecular mass or square root of its
vapour density.
Mathematically, Graham’s law of diffusion can be
represented as:
R1 p2
R2
∝√
p1
Where R1 and R2 are the rates of diffusion
and P1 and P2, the densities of the two gases.
The density is directly proportional to its molecular
mass.
EXAMPLES
1. 100cm of oxygen diffuse through an office in 60
3
seconds while it takes another gas 120seconds for
the same office. Calculate the molecular mass of
the unknown gas [0=16]
Solution
R Mx
O
Rx 2
= MO 2
Since the rate of diffusion is inversely proportional
to the time taken:
R
O =
Rx 2
= ¿tx2 = √
Mx
MO 2
tx Mx
( ¿ 2) = MO 2
tx 120
Mx= MO2 ×( ¿ 2 )2= 32 ×( 60 )2= 32 2
×2
Mx = 32 × 4 = 128g
2. 200cm of hydrogen diffused through a porous pot
3
in 40 seconds. How long will it take 300 cm of 3
chlorine to diffuse through the same pot?
Solution
200cm of hydrogen diffused in 40secs
3
∴ 300cm of chlorine will diffuse in
3
3
3 00 cm
3 × 4020
2 00 cm
(3 × 20) = 60seconds
Now, using the equation
t1
t2
=√ M
M2
1
Where t= 60s, M1 = molecular mass of hydrogen
i.e H2= (2 ×1) =2
M2= molecular mass of chlorine = cl 2 =2× 35.5 =
71
M1 71
T2 = t1√ M 2 = 60√ 2 = 60 √ 35.5 = 60 × 5.96
= 357.5sec
Time of diffusion of chlorine = 358s.
3. How many times the rate of diffusion of
hydrogen is faster than that of oxygen and what
law do you use to get the answer? [ vapour
density] of [H=1, O=16]
Solution
Rate (R+) of diffusion of H2= √ Density of O2
Density of H 2
R1
R2 √
=
16 = R 1 = 4
1 R2 1
∴Hydrogen diffuses four times faster. The law
used is Graham’s law of diffusion.
RELATIVE VAPOUR DENSITY OF A GASE
The vapour density of a gas or vapour is the
number of times a given volume of gas (or
vapour) is heavier than the same volume of
hydrogen measured and weighed under the
same temperature and pressure
mass of 1 vol of a gas∨vapour
Vapour density = mass of equal volume of hydrogen
Applying Avogadro’s law, it is possible to show
that the vapour density of a gas is related to the
relative molecular mass of the gas.
mass of 1 mole of a gas∨vapour
V.D= mass of 1 molecule of hydrogen
mass of 1 vol of a gas
V.D = mass of 2 atoms of hydrogen
∴2 x V.D =relative molecular mass
The density of hydrogen at S.T.P is 0.09 gdm 3
Example
Calculate the vapour densities of the following
gases from the given data.
1. 560cm of oxygen at S.T.P weighs 0.8g
3
2. 1,400cm of sulphur (iv) oxide weighs 4g
3
Solution
1. 1000C m of hydrogen at S.T.P weighs
3
0.09g
3
560 cm
∴560cm3 of hydrogen at 3× 0.09
100 cm
¿ 0.05g
massofagivenvolumeofgas
V.D= massofeequalvolumeofhydrogen
mass of 560 of oxygen
∴Vapour density of oxygen= mass of 560 of hydrogen
0.8 g
¿
0. 05
=16
2.1000cm of hydrogen at S.T.P weighs 0.09g.
3
∴ 1400cm3 of hydrogen will weighs
1400× 0.09
1000
= 0.126g
mass ofa given volume ofgas
Vapour density= mass o f equal volume ofhydrogen
3
mass of 1400 cm of SO 2
∴Vapour density of SO2= 3
mass of 1400 cm of H 2
4g
= 0.126 = 31.74= 32