On the average, air contains about 9.3 mL of argon per liter. What would be the partial pressure of argon in air when the barometric pressure is 780 torr?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To determine the partial pressure of argon in air, we need to use the following formula:

Partial pressure = mole fraction of gas x total pressure

The mole fraction of argon in air can be calculated as follows:

Mole fraction of argon = (9.3 mL argon/L air) / (1000 mL/L) = 0.0093

We can now use this value and the given barometric pressure to calculate the partial pressure of argon:

Partial pressure of argon = 0.0093 x 780 torr = 7.3 torr

Therefore, the best choice is B, with an explanation as shown above.

On the Average, Air Contains About 9