Real gases and deviations from ideality
Gaseous State · Chemistry
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Interactive 3DBall-and-stick models with true bond angles — switch molecule to compare shapes.
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Study notes
For N₂ at 300 K, Z dips below 1 at moderate P then rises above 1 at very high P. Explain. Step 1: Moderate P: molecules pushed closer → attractions pull them together → gas compresses MORE than ideal → Z < 1. Step 2: Very high P: molecules nearly touching → finite size resists further compression → Z > 1. Step 3: At Boyle temperature (~327°C for N₂... actually 327 K), the two effects cancel over a wide range. Deviations reveal the two non-ideal realities: size and attraction.