Gas Pressure
When you complete this presentation, you will be able to: describe gas pressure in terms of the motion of gas particles. describe the invention of the barometer. describe the derivation of the units of pressure. convert between the units of pressure.
Gas pressure is the result of the force of gas molecules exerted on a surface. The force of a single molecule of gas in insignificant, but the force of trillions of molecules becomes measurable. A vacuum is a volume where there are no gas molecules bouncing off a surface. Atmospheric pressure results from the collision of air molecules with objects.
We measure the pressure of a gas by using an instrument called a barometer. The barometer was invented in 1643 by the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli. He made a barometer from a tube of glass (sealed at one end) and a trough of mercury.
We measure the pressure of a gas by using an instrument called a barometer. The barometer was invented in 1643 by the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli. He made a barometer from a tube of glass (sealed at one end) and a trough of mercury.
We measure the pressure of a gas by using an instrument called a barometer. The barometer was invented in 1643 by the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli. He made a barometer from a tube of glass (sealed at one end) and a trough of mercury. The air pressure on the Hg held the column up.
The air pressure in a barometer is measured by measuring the height of the mercury column. Under standard conditions, a column of mercury will be 760 mm in height. So, we say that 1 atmosphere of pressure (1 atm) is equal to 760 mm Hg.
Another unit for pressure uses SI units for force (newtons, N) per area (m 2 ) which is called a Pascal, (Pa). Under standard conditions, 1 atm of pressure is equal to 101,300 Pa = kPa.
Our conversions are: atm = mm Hg = kPa
A container of oxygen gas has a pressure of atm. Find the pressure in mm Hg and kPa. Conversions: atm = mm Hg = kPa Solution: atm 1 = = mm Hg atm 342 mm Hg atm 1 = = kPa atm 45.6 kPa
A container of nitrogen gas has a pressure of 855 mm Hg. Find the pressure in atm and kPa. Conversions: atm = mm Hg = kPa Solution: 855 mm Hg 1 = = atm mm Hg 1.13 atm 855 mm Hg 1 = = kPa mm Hg 114 kPa
A container of hydrogen gas has a pressure of 97.3 kPa. Find the pressure in atm and mm Hg. Conversions: atm = mm Hg = kPa Solution: 97.3 kPa 1 = = atm kPa atm 97.3 kPa 1 = = mm Hg kPa 730 mm Hg
Gas pressure is the result of the force of gas molecules exerted on a surface. Atmospheric pressure results from the collision of air molecules with objects. We measure the pressure of a gas by using an instrument called a barometer invented in 1643 by the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli. Our conversions are: atm = mmHg = kPa