Question

Relation between gas constant and universal gas constant

Answer 1

Key Difference – Universal Gas Constant vs Characteristic Gas Constant
 

Gaseous phase is one of the three major phases matter can exist. It is the most compressible state out of the three states of matter. Only 11 elements out of other elements exist as gases under normal conditions. However, the “ideal gas law” gives us an equation that can be used to explain the behavior of a normal gas. It has a proportionality constant which is called universal gas constant and when it is applied to a real gas, this constant is used with a modification. Then it is called a characteristic gas constant. The key difference between universal gas constant and characteristic gas constant is that universal gas constant is only applicable for ideal gases whereas characteristic gas constant is applicable for real gases.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Universal Gas Constant
3. What is Characteristic Gas Constant
4. Side by Side Comparison – Universal Gas Constant vs Characteristic Gas Constant in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Universal Gas Constant?

Gas molecules are capable of free motion throughout the space since they are very light molecules. Forces between gas molecules are weak Van Der Waal attraction forces. However, in order to explain the behavior of a gas, scientists have derived theories using a hypothetical gas known as Ideal gas. They have also derived a law regarding this ideal gas, which is known as the Ideal gas law.

First, we should know what an ideal gas means. It is a hypothetical gas which would show the following properties if it was a real gas. These are only assumptions.

An ideal gas is composed of a large number of small gas molecules.The volume of those gas molecules is negligible.There are no attractions between gas molecules.The motion of these gas molecules obeys the Newton’s law of motion.Collisions of molecules are completely elastic.

By looking at these properties, it is understandable that none of the real gases are ideal.