What is the total pressure in a mixture of gases equal to?

What is the total pressure in a mixture of gases equal to?

• A. The total volume of the mixture
• B. The sum of all the individual gas partial pressures
• C. The average temperature of the gases
• D. The mass of the gas mixture

Answer: (B)

The total pressure in a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of all the individual gas partial pressures. This principle is rooted in Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures, which states that in a mixture of non-reacting gases, each gas exerts a pressure independently of the others. Each gas in the mixture contributes to the overall pressure according to its partial pressure, which is defined as the pressure that gas would exert if it occupied the entire volume alone at the same temperature. Therefore, when calculating the total pressure, you simply add the partial pressures of all the gases present in the mixture. This understanding is vital in various HVAC applications, including calculating the performance of refrigeration systems where different gases can be present, and ensuring system efficiency by understanding the behavior of gas mixtures under varying conditions.

The total pressure in a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of all the individual gas partial pressures. This principle is rooted in Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures, which states that in a mixture of non-reacting gases, each gas exerts a pressure independently of the others.

Each gas in the mixture contributes to the overall pressure according to its partial pressure, which is defined as the pressure that gas would exert if it occupied the entire volume alone at the same temperature. Therefore, when calculating the total pressure, you simply add the partial pressures of all the gases present in the mixture.

This understanding is vital in various HVAC applications, including calculating the performance of refrigeration systems where different gases can be present, and ensuring system efficiency by understanding the behavior of gas mixtures under varying conditions.