The Ideal Gas Law works perfectly for "Ideal Gases". But what is an Ideal Gas?
Piston
Ideal Gas Simulator
PRESSURE60 kPa
300 K
Heats particles → Faster collisions
50 Units
Moves piston → Changes space
The Two Key Assumptions
- 🤏1. Negligible Volume
The particles themselves take up zero space compared to the empty space between them.
- 🧊2. No Intermolecular Forces
The particles do not attract or repel each other. They just bounce off (Elastic Collisions).
When does this fail?
Real gases occupy space and have attractions.
- High Pressure: Particles are squashed together → Volume becomes significant.
- Low Temperature: Particles move slowly → Attraction becomes significant (leading to condensation).
Student Practice Set
1.
Under which conditions does a Real Gas behave most like an Ideal Gas?