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What is Validity of Ideal Gas Law – Definition

Validity of Ideal Gas Law. The Ideal Gas Law is accurate only at relatively low pressures (relative to the critical pressure pcr) and high temperatures. Thermal Engineering

Validity of Ideal Gas Law

Since ideal gas is defined as one in which all collisions between atoms or molecules are perfectly elastic and in which there are no intermolecular attractive forces, there is no such thing in nature as a truly ideal gas. On the other hand, all real gases approach the ideal state at low pressures (densities). At low pressures molecules are far enough apart that they do not interact with one another.

In other words, the Ideal Gas Law is accurate only at relatively low pressures (relative to the critical pressure pcr) and high temperatures (relative to the critical temperature Tcr). At these parameters, the compressibility factor, Z = pv / RT, is approximately 1. The compressibility factor is used to account for deviation from the ideal situation. This correction factor is dependent on pressure and temperature for each gas considered.

 
References:
Reactor Physics and Thermal Hydraulics:
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  4. Glasstone, Sesonske. Nuclear Reactor Engineering: Reactor Systems Engineering, Springer; 4th edition, 1994, ISBN: 978-0412985317
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  6. Zohuri B., McDaniel P. Thermodynamics in Nuclear Power Plant Systems. Springer; 2015, ISBN: 978-3-319-13419-2
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  8. Kleinstreuer C. Modern Fluid Dynamics. Springer, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4020-8670-0.
  9. U.S. Department of Energy, THERMODYNAMICS, HEAT TRANSFER, AND FLUID FLOW. DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Volume 1, 2 and 3. June 1992.

See also:

Ideal Gas Law

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