Question

Under similar conditions of temperature and pressure the ratio of rate of diffusion of methane and sulphur dioxide is 2:1

• A. True
• B. False

Answer 1

The correct option is A True

According to Graham's law of diffusion, rate of diffusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular weight of the gas as shown below.

$\frac{r_{C{H}_4}}{r_{S{O}_2}}=\sqrt{\frac{M_{S{O}_2}}{M_{C{H}_4}}}$

$$\begin{gathered} r_{C{H}_4}=rateofdiffusionofmethane \\ {r}_{S{O}_2}=rateofdiffusionofsulphurdioxide \\ {M}_{C{H}_4}=Molecularweightofmethane \\ {M}_{S{O}_2}=Molecularweightofsulphurdioxide \end{gathered}$$

The molecular weight of sulphur dioxide= atomic weight of sulphur+ 2(atomic weight of oxygen)

Molecular weight of sulphur dioxide= 32+ 2(16) =64 u

Molecular weight of methane= atomic weight of carbon+ 4(atomic weight of hydrogen)

Molecular weight of sulphur dioxide= 12+ 4(1)= 16 u

$\frac{r_{C{H}_4}}{r_{S{O}_2}}=\sqrt{\frac{M_{S{O}_2}}{M_{C{H}_4}}}=\sqrt{\frac{64}{16}}=\sqrt{\frac{4}{1}}=\frac{2}{1}$

The ratio of the rate of diffusion of methane and sulphur dioxide is 2:1.

Therefore, the given statement is true.