Helium gas can be used to displace other gases from a solvent by bubbling He through the solvent, a process called sparging, and leaving an atmosphere of helium above the solvent. At 760 torr of He, the concentration of He in water is \(0.00148 \mathrm{~g} \mathrm{~L}^{-1}\) at \(298 \mathrm{~K}\). What is Henry's law constant for \(\mathrm{He}\) at \(298 \mathrm{~K} ?\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The Henry's law constant for He at 298 K is 0.00148 g/L/atm.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding Henry's Law

Henry’s Law states that the concentration of a gas (C) in a liquid is directly proportional to the pressure of the gas above the liquid (P). The formula is given by: C = k * P, where k is the Henry's Law constant. We need to find the value of k for helium gas (He) at a certain temperature (298 K).
02

- Gathering Given Information

From the exercise, we are given the concentration (C) of helium in water as 0.00148 g/L and the pressure (P) of helium as 760 torr. In order to use Henry's law, the pressure must be in standard units of atmosphere (atm). Standard pressure is 760 torr, which is equivalent to 1 atm.
03

- Converting Pressure to Atmospheres

Convert the pressure from torr to atmospheres by using the conversion factor 1 atm = 760 torr. Therefore, P = 760 torr / 760 torr/atm = 1 atm.
04

- Calculating Henry's Law Constant

Using Henry's Law formula (C = k * P), solve for k by rearranging the equation to k = C / P. Substitute C = 0.00148 g/L and P = 1 atm into the equation to find the value of k.
05

- Completing the Calculation

After substituting the values into the rearranged Henry's Law formula, the calculation for k is k = 0.00148 g/L / 1 atm, which simplifies to k = 0.00148 g/L/atm.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Henry's Law
Henry's Law is a fundamental principle in the field of chemistry that describes the solubility of gases in liquids. It states that at a constant temperature, the amount of a gas that dissolves in a type of liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas in contact with the liquid. Mathematically, it is expressed as:
\( C = k \times P \)
where \( C \) is the concentration of the gas in the liquid, \( P \) is the partial pressure of the gas, and \( k \) is the Henry’s Law constant unique to each gas-solvent pair at a specific temperature. This law is crucial for understanding how gases behave when they are dissolved in various solvents, and it has important applications in fields such as environmental engineering, food science, and medicine.
Gas Solubility
Gas solubility refers to the ability of a gas to dissolve in a liquid solvent. Solubility is typically influenced by factors such as the nature of the gas, the type of solvent, temperature, and pressure. According to Henry's Law, solubility increases with an increase in pressure. Conversely, temperature often has an inverse relationship with solubility—gases tend to become less soluble in liquids as temperature increases.

This principle is essential for predicting and understanding gas behavior in various environmental and industrial processes, including the design of carbonated beverages, where carbon dioxide is dissolved under pressure, and the oxygenation of aquatic environments.
Sparging
Sparging is a technique used to remove dissolved gases from a liquid by introducing a purge gas into the liquid. This process can also be used to introduce a specific gas into a liquid under controlled conditions. Sparging utilizes the principles of Henry’s Law, as a gas will tend to reach an equilibrium state where its concentration in the liquid phase is proportional to the pressure of the purge gas.

In industrial applications, sparging is applied in processes like fermentation, where it is used to provide oxygen to support the growth of microorganisms, and in environmental remediation, where it can help to strip contaminants from water supplies.
Helium Gas in Water
Understanding the solubility of helium gas in water is important in various scientific and industrial contexts. Helium is known to have low solubility in water due to its inert nature and low polarizability. When helium gas is bubbled into water during sparging, it displaces other gases and creates an atmosphere that can prevent oxidation or other undesired chemical reactions. The measurement of helium's solubility at a given temperature and pressure, as per Henry's Law, is essential for designing systems that require precise control of gas concentrations.
Chemistry Gas Laws
Chemistry gas laws are the scientific laws that describe the behavior of gases under various conditions of temperature, pressure, and volume. Along with Henry's Law, other fundamental gas laws include Boyle’s Law, which relates pressure and volume, Charles's Law, which ties volume and temperature together, and Gay-Lussac's Law, which connects pressure and temperature. These laws are key to understanding the physical properties of gases and can predict how changes in conditions will affect a gas. They form the foundational principles of thermodynamics and fluid dynamics, impacting a wide range of scientific and engineering applications.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free