Aerosol cans include warnings about not exposing the cans to high temperatures because they will explode when the pressure inside the can is greater than 4.00 atm. If the normal pressure inside a can is 1.70 atm at 25 °C, would you expect the can to explode if it were left in a hot car and heated to 425 °C?

No, because the final pressure is 0.726 atm.

No, because the final pressure is 3.98 atm.

Yes, because the final pressure is 10.0 atm.

Yes, because the final pressure is 28.9 atm.

1 answer

To determine whether the aerosol can would explode if heated to 425 °C, we can use the ideal gas law, which relates the pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas. Assuming the volume of the can remains constant, we can use the direct relationship between pressure and temperature as given by the equation

\[ \frac{P_1}{T_1} = \frac{P_2}{T_2} \]

where \(P_1\) and \(T_1\) are the initial pressure and temperature, and \(P_2\) and \(T_2\) are the final pressure and temperature, respectively. Temperatures must be in Kelvin.

  1. Convert the initial temperature from °C to K: \[ T_1 = 25 + 273.15 = 298.15 , \text{K} \]

  2. Convert the final temperature from °C to K: \[ T_2 = 425 + 273.15 = 698.15 , \text{K} \]

  3. Set up the knowns:

    • \(P_1 = 1.70 , \text{atm}\)
    • \(T_1 = 298.15 , \text{K}\)
    • \(T_2 = 698.15 , \text{K}\)
  4. Rearranging the equation to solve for \(P_2\): \[ P_2 = P_1 \times \frac{T_2}{T_1} \]

  5. Plug in the values: \[ P_2 = 1.70 , \text{atm} \times \frac{698.15 , \text{K}}{298.15 , \text{K}} \]

  6. Calculate \(P_2\): \[ P_2 \approx 1.70 \times 2.340 \approx 3.98 , \text{atm} \]

Now, compare \(P_2\) with the explosion threshold of 4.00 atm.

Since \(P_2 \approx 3.98 , \text{atm}\), this is below the threshold of 4.00 atm.

Thus, the answer is:

No, because the final pressure is 3.98 atm.