Question

The diagrams above represent two samples of Xe gas in containers of equal volume at 280 K. Which of the following correctly compared the two samples in terms of their deviation from ideal gas behavior and explains why?

Answer 1

The gas in sample 2 would deviate more from ideal behaviour because the Xe atoms are closer together leading to an increase in intermolecular attractions.

• The molecules in an ideal gas have elastic collisions between them. The molecules in an ideal gas are very small as compared to the distance between two molecules. This results in no attractive forces between the molecules as in Sample 1.
• While in Sample 2, the molecules are very close to each other and will posses attractive forces due to other molecules.