Partial Pressure Calculator
Calculate partial pressures using Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures. Our chemistry calculator determines mole fractions, total pressure, and gas composition for gas mixtures with support for multiple pressure units and calculation methods.
Last updated: December 15, 2024
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Results
Total Pressure:
1.000 atm
Gas Composition:
N₂
Pressure
0.780 atm
Mole Fraction
0.780
O₂
Pressure
0.220 atm
Mole Fraction
0.220
Law Applied:
Dalton's Law: P_total = Σ P_i
Analysis:
Partial pressures calculated using Dalton's Law: P_i = χ_i × P_total
Dalton's Law Principles:
- • Each gas in a mixture exerts pressure independently
- • Total pressure equals sum of all partial pressures
- • Mole fractions must sum to 1.000 for the complete mixture
- • Assumes ideal gas behavior and no chemical reactions
Quick Example Result
Air composition at 1 atmosphere (standard conditions):
N₂ Partial Pressure
0.780 atm
78.0% by volume
O₂ Partial Pressure
0.220 atm
22.0% by volume
Total Pressure
1.000 atm
Standard atmosphere
How This Calculator Works
Our partial pressure calculator applies Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures to analyze gas mixtures and determine individual gas contributions. The calculations use fundamental principles of ideal gas behavior and chemical thermodynamics to predict gas mixture properties.
Dalton's Law Equations
P_total = Σ P_i (total pressure)P_i = χ_i × P_total (partial pressure)χ_i = n_i / n_total (mole fraction)Σ χ_i = 1.000 (mole fraction sum)These equations assume ideal gas behavior where gases don't interact chemically and each component behaves independently. Temperature and volume remain constant.
Shows individual gas contributions to total pressure
Chemistry Foundation
Partial pressure calculations are fundamental to understanding gas behavior in mixtures. Each gas in a mixture exerts pressure independently, contributing to the total pressure according to its mole fraction. Our calculator supports multiple calculation approaches and automatically handles unit conversions for practical applications.
- Each gas behaves independently in ideal mixtures
- Mole fractions represent the proportion of each gas component
- Total pressure equals the sum of all individual partial pressures
- Pressure units must be consistent within each calculation
- Temperature and volume are assumed constant for all components
- Chemical reactions between gases are not considered
Sources & References
- General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts - Chang, Goldsby (8th Edition)Standard chemistry textbook covering gas laws and mixtures
- Physical Chemistry - Atkins, de Paula (11th Edition)Advanced reference for thermodynamics and gas behavior
- NIST Chemistry WebBook - Standard reference data for chemical propertiesOfficial thermodynamic data and gas properties
Exploring more science? Try our free fall calculator for physics and concavity calculator for mathematical analysis.
Get Custom Chemistry Calculator for Your PlatformExample Chemistry Calculation
Given Values:
- N₂ mole fraction: 0.68 (68%)
- O₂ mole fraction: 0.32 (32%)
- Total pressure: 3.0 atm
- Temperature: Constant
Calculation Steps:
- Apply Dalton's Law: P_i = χ_i × P_total
- P_N₂ = 0.68 × 3.0 = 2.04 atm
- P_O₂ = 0.32 × 3.0 = 0.96 atm
- Check: P_total = 2.04 + 0.96 = 3.0 atm ✓
Result: P_N₂ = 2.04 atm, P_O₂ = 0.96 atm
This enriched oxygen mixture reduces nitrogen narcosis risk for divers!
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