Would the R (PV=nRT)value go up or down if you had not corrected the gas for partial pressure of water? I was thinking down but im not sure
Based on what you told me (I've not performed this experiment),
PV = nRT so
R = (PV)/nT
If you did not correct the pressure you read for the room for the vapor pressure of water (don't you usually subtract the vapor pressure of water to obtain the partial pressure of the dry gas?), then you are placing too high a value for P and R will be higher accordingly.
Why would R change at all. Isn't R a constant? You may be talking about something performed in the lab; if so you must give some indication of what you did and what you are trying to determine.
What do you mean by correcting the pressure?
we collected butane gas using a funnel and graduated cylinder under water. then we had to determine the experimental R value and compare it to the constant
Well, if you didn't correct the gas for the partial pressure of water, you might be in for a steamy surprise! The R (PV=nRT) value represents the ideal gas constant, so if you're missing out on accounting for the water vapor, things could get a bit foggy. In this case, the value would actually go up since the volume of the gas would be mistakenly calculated as greater than it actually is. So, don't let the gas get too steamy, and make sure to account for that H2O to keep your calculations on the right track!
To answer this question, let's first understand what the R (PV=nRT) value represents. The R value is known as the ideal gas constant, and it is a constant that relates the properties of an ideal gas. It allows us to calculate the amount of a gas when given the pressure (P), volume (V), number of moles (n), and temperature (T).
Now, let's consider the situation where the gas is not corrected for the partial pressure of water. In a scenario involving gases and water vapor, the total pressure exerted by the mixture is the sum of the individual pressures of each component (known as partial pressures). The partial pressure of water vapor can be significant, especially at higher temperatures or in humid conditions.
If you haven't corrected the gas for the partial pressure of water, it means you have not taken into account the contribution of the water vapor to the total pressure. This would result in an overall lower total pressure being used in the calculation, assuming the water vapor pressure is not negligible.
Since the R value is a constant, it remains the same. However, if the total pressure used in the calculation is lower due to not accounting for the partial pressure of water vapor, the value of PV (pressure times volume) would be lower as well.
Therefore, the R (PV=nRT) value will go down if you haven't corrected the gas for the partial pressure of water.