DALTON'S LAW OF PARTIAL PRESSURE

PARTIAL PRESSURE
In a mixture of different gases which do not react chemically each gas behaves independently of
the other gases and exerts its own pressure. This individual pressure that a gas exerts in a
mixture of gases is called it's partial pressure.
DALTON'S LAW OF PARTIAL
PRESSURE
Based on this behaviour of gases, JOHN DALTON formulated a basic law which is known as "The
Dalton's law of partial pressure" .
The law states that:
"If two or more gases (which do not react with each other) are enclosed in a vessel,
the total pressure exerted by them is equal to the sum of their partial pressure".
MATHEMATICAL
REPRESENTATION
Consider a mixture of three non-reacting gases a , b and c .Partial pressures of these gases are
Pa ,Pb and Pc .According to Dalton's law of partial pressure, their total pressure is given by:
Ptotal = Pa + Pb + Pc
DALTON'S LAW IN THE LIGHT OF
KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY
According to kinetic molecular theory of gases there is no force of attraction or repulsion among
the gas molecules. Thus each gas behaves independently in a mixture and exerts it's own
pressure.
In terms of KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY, Dalton's law of partial pressure can be explained as:
"In a non-reacting mixture of gases, each gas exerts separate pressure on the
container in which it is confined due to collision of it's molecules with the walls of
container.
The total pressure exerted by the gaseous mixture is equal to
the sum of collisions of the molecules of individual gas ."
EXPRESSION FOR PARTIAL
PRESSURE
Consider a gaseous mixture of three different gases a , b and c enclosed in a container of volume
Vdm3 at T Kelvin. Let the partial pressures of these gases are Pa ,Pb and Pc respectively and
total pressure of mixture is Pt. Let there are na ,nb and nc moles of each gas respectively and
the total number of
moles are nt.

Three gases confined in a cylinder under similar conditions:

Using equation of state of gas:

PV = nRT
OR
P = nRT/V
For gas a
Pa = naRT/V--------------- (i)
For gas b
Pb = naRT/V--------------- (ii)
For gas c
Pc = ncRT/V--------------- (iii)
For any gas
 Pgas = ngasRT/V
OR

---------(a)

Adding equation (i) , (ii) and (iii), we get,

Pt = naRT/V + nbRT/V + ncRT/V
Pt = (na + nb + nc)RT/V
OR
But nt = na + nb + nc
Pt = nt RT/V

Comparing equation (a) and (b), we get,

This expression indicates that the pressure of a gas is proportional to number of moles if confined
under similar conditions.

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