Chapter 8, Problem 168IP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

• The partial pressures of methane and ethane in the natural gas sample have to be calculated.
• The total mass of Water produced by the complete combustion of methane and ethane in the natural gas sample has to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

• In a mixture of gaseous substances, the total pressure of the system is equal to the sum of the partial pressure of the each gaseous substance.

• Thus, the pressure contributed by the individual gaseous substance to the total pressure is known as the partial pressure of that gaseous substance.

• The partial pressure of a gas depends upon its mole fraction. Mole fraction of a gaseous component is nothing but the number of moles of that particular gaseous substance present in a system containing mixture of gaseous substances.

• Let us assume a system contains a mixture of two different gases A and B. Let ‘N’ be the total number of moles of gases present in the mixture. Then,

Mole fraction of gas A is, ${\text{X}}_{\text{A}}\text{=}\frac{\text{number}\text{of}\text{moles}\text{of}\text{A}}{\text{Total}\text{number}\text{of}\text{moles}}$

Mole fraction of gas B is, ${\text{X}}_{\text{B}}\text{=}\frac{\text{number}\text{of}\text{moles}\text{of}\text{B}}{\text{Total}\text{number}\text{of}\text{moles}}$

• Using the number of moles and mole fraction of the reactants and products, the amount of product obtained can be determined.