1. What is the Universal Gas Constant?

The universal gas constant (R) is a physical constant that appears in the ideal gas law and other fundamental equations of thermodynamics. It relates energy scales to temperature scales in physics.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the ideal gas law equation:

Where:

• \( P \) — Pressure (Pascals)
• \( V \) — Volume (cubic meters)
• \( n \) — Amount of substance (moles)
• \( T \) — Temperature (Kelvin)
• \( R \) — Universal gas constant (J/(mol·K))

Explanation: The equation shows the relationship between the physical properties of an ideal gas and the universal constant that connects them.

3. Importance of the Gas Constant

Details: The universal gas constant is fundamental in thermodynamics, physical chemistry, and engineering. It appears in the ideal gas law, the Nernst equation, and other important formulas.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter pressure in Pascals, volume in cubic meters, amount of substance in moles, and temperature in Kelvin. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the accepted value of R?
A: The accepted value is approximately 8.314462618 J/(mol·K).

Q2: Why is R called "universal"?
A: It's called universal because it's the same for all ideal gases, regardless of their chemical composition.

Q3: What are the units of R?
A: The SI units are joules per mole per kelvin (J/(mol·K)), but it can be expressed in other units depending on the context.

Q4: How was R first determined?
A: It was first determined through experiments measuring the relationships between pressure, volume, and temperature of gases.

Q5: What's the difference between R and the Boltzmann constant?
A: The Boltzmann constant (k) is essentially R divided by Avogadro's number, relating energy to temperature at the molecular level.