Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Chemistry

Chapter

Physical: Solutions

Question:

The values of Henry’s law constant for the given gases in water, at 293 K, are

  1. \(He\) - 144.97/K bar
  2. \(H_2\) - 69.16/K bar
  3. \(N_2\) - 76.48/K bar
  4. O2 - 34.86/K bar

Which gas has the lowest solubility in water?

Options:

He

\(H_2\)

\(N_2\)

\(O_2\)

Correct Answer:

He

Explanation:

The correct answer is option 1. He.

Let us delve into the details of Henry's Law and how it relates to the solubility of gases in liquids.
Henry's Law:
Henry's Law describes the relationship between the solubility of a gas in a liquid and the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. The mathematical expression for Henry's Law is given by:
\[ C = K_H \cdot P \]
where:
\( C \) is the concentration (solubility) of the gas in the liquid,
\( K_H \) is Henry's Law constant,
\( P \) is the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid.
The constant \( K_H \) is characteristic of a particular gas and a specific liquid at a given temperature. It reflects the tendency of a gas to dissolve in a liquid.
Solubility and Henry's Law Constant:
If \( K_H \) is high, it means that the gas has a high solubility in the liquid.
If \( K_H \) is low, it means that the gas has a low solubility in the liquid.

Relationship with Partial Pressure:
According to Henry's Law, the solubility of a gas is directly proportional to its partial pressure in the gas phase.
If the partial pressure of a gas increases, more gas molecules will dissolve in the liquid until equilibrium is reached.

Application to the Given Gases:
Now, considering the given values of \( K_H \) for the gases:
\(He\) has the highest \( K_H \) value (144.97 K bar\(^{-1}\)).
Higher \( K_H \) implies lower solubility in the liquid.

Therefore, helium (\(He\)) has the lowest solubility in water among the given gases.
In summary, the higher the Henry's Law constant, the lower the solubility of the gas in the liquid, and vice versa. This principle is applied to understand the solubility characteristics of gases in different liquids under specific conditions.