Cracking the AP Chemistry Exam

Part IV

Content Review for the AP Chemistry Exam

Chapter 4

Big Idea #2: Bonding and Phases

DALTON’S LAW

Dalton’s law states that the total pressure of a mixture of gases is just the sum of all the partial pressures of the individual gases in the mixture.

Dalton’s Law

P_total = P_a + P_b + P_c + …

You should also note that the partial pressure of a gas is directly proportional to the number of moles of that gas present in the mixture. So if 25 percent of the gas in a mixture is helium, then the partial pressure due to helium will be 25 percent of the total pressure.

Partial Pressure

P_a = (P_total)(X_a)

X_a =