explain why R is ACONSTANT IN THE IDEAL GAS EQUATION
This equation was derived from the combined law and Avogadro's law, so if one combines these two, we get:
pv/T = C (C is a constant which is directly proportional
to the nr of moles of gas)
And the proportionality factor so happened to be
R, a constant (8.314472 J·K−1·mol−1)
So if we say C=nR, and rearrange the equation, we get
pV= nRT , our equation.
In the ideal gas equation, R is not a constant, but rather a gas constant that relates the properties of gases. The ideal gas equation is given by:
PV = nRT
where P is the pressure, V is the volume, n is the number of moles of gas, T is the temperature, and R is the gas constant.
The gas constant, denoted by R, is a proportionality constant that relates the physical properties of a gas to the ideal gas law equation. It has a specific value depending on the units used in the equation.
The value of R depends on the units used for pressure, volume, number of moles, and temperature in the equation. The most commonly used unit of R is the ideal gas constant in the International System of Units (SI units), which has a value of 8.314 J/(mol·K).
However, if you are using different units, you will need to use a different value of R that corresponds to those units. For example, if you are using pressure in atmospheres (atm) and volume in liters (L), the value of R would be 0.0821 L·atm/(mol·K).
To find the value of R for a specific set of units, you can consult a reference table or use the appropriate conversion factors to calculate it. It is also important to note that R is a constant for a given set of units, but it can vary depending on the system of units used.
In summary, the gas constant R is not a constant value in itself, but rather a proportionality constant that relates the properties of gases in the ideal gas equation. Its value depends on the units used for pressure, volume, number of moles, and temperature in the equation.