Partial Pressure Example

[DingDongD]

I was just wondering about this question. Let's say there was 200 atm of oxygen, and then I add 50 atm of nitrogen. They do not react. The partial pressure of oxygen did not change right, although the mole ratio might? It would be 200 atm, still.

Thanks ahead.

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[aldol16]

Pressure depends only on volume, temperature, and mass. If your container volume and temperature remain constant, then P can only vary with mass. So since mass is conserved, the partial pressure of O2 does not change.

Put another way, partial pressure is defined as the pressure the gas would exert if only it occupied the container. Here, you have a literal interpretation of that. When only O2 occupies the container, then the pressure is 200 atm. Therefore, even if you add other gases, the partial pressure of O2 will be 200 atm, by definition.