Chemistry

Problem

Two gases have the following van der Waals constants: • Gas A:

a = 0.42\,\text{L}^2\!\cdot\!\text{atm}\,\text{mol}^{-2}

and

b = 0.027\,\text{L}\,\text{mol}^{-1}

• Gas B:

a = 3.59\,\text{L}^2\!\cdot\!\text{atm}\,\text{mol}^{-2}

and

b = 0.042\,\text{L}\,\text{mol}^{-1}

At 300 K and 50 atm, which gas is expected to have the larger molar volume than predicted by the ideal-gas law, and why?