What happens to real gases under high pressure and low temperature?

Study for the Physician Assistant College Admission Test (PA-CAT). Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each question provides hints and explanations. Prepare for your exam!

Real gases deviate from ideal behavior under conditions of high pressure and low temperature primarily due to intermolecular forces and the volume occupied by the gas particles themselves.

In high-pressure situations, the gas molecules are forced closer together, which enhances the effect of intermolecular forces. These forces, which are typically negligible in ideal gases, become significant as the molecules are no longer far apart. As a result, real gases exhibit attractions and repulsions that are not accounted for by the ideal gas law.

Additionally, at low temperatures, the kinetic energy of the gas molecules decreases, causing them to move more slowly. This slowing down further promotes the influence of attractive intermolecular forces, leading to deviations from ideal gas behavior. Under these conditions, it is common for real gases to condense into liquids or sol, instead of behaving as an ideal gas.

Therefore, under high pressure and low temperature, real gases will demonstrate distinctly non-ideal behavior due to the significant effects of intermolecular attractions and particle volumes.

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