Question

What are standard temperature and pressure (STP)? What is the significance of STP in relation to the volume of 1 mole of an ideal gas?

Short answer

Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP) are defined as 0 degrees Celsius (273.15 Kelvin) and 1 atmosphere (101.3 kilopascals). STP is significant because it simplifies calculations involving gases. The volume of 1 mole of any ideal gas at STP is approximately 22.41 liters.

Step-by-step solution

Define STP

Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP) are defined as 0 degrees Celsius (273.15 Kelvin) and 1 atmosphere (101.3 kilopascals), respectively.

Apply the Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law states that pressure times volume equals the number of moles times the gas constant times temperature \(PV = nRT\). Under STP conditions (273.15 K, 1 atm), the Ideal Gas Law simplifies to \(V = nR(273.15)\). Remembering that \(R = 0.0821 L atm K^{-1} mol^{-1}\), we substitute the gas constant's value into our equation.

Calculate the volume of 1 mole of an ideal gas at STP

Once we substitute the given conditions of pressure, temperature and the gas constant into the Ideal Gas law, it reduces to \(V = 1(0.0821)(273.15) = 22.41L\). This means that at STP, the volume of 1 mole of an ideal gas is approximately 22.41 liters.