Question

A recon team is sent to observe a tank truck that has rolled over. The team reports that the vehicle is an MC 312. The container most probably contains a:

a) Flammable Liquid
b) Corrosive Liquid
c) Poison Gas
d) Flammable Solid

Answer 1

The can should be stored at low temperatures to prevent it from bursting due to increased pressure. Using Gay-Lussac's Law, the new pressure of the gas in the can after being heated to 50 °C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The warning 'Store only at temperatures below 120 °F (48.8 °C). Do not incinerate.' is there because the contents of the can are under pressure. The gas inside the can follows the gas laws, which predict how a gas will behave under different conditions. According to Gay-Lussac's Law, which states that the pressure of a given mass of gas varies directly with the absolute temperature when the volume remains constant, heating the can increases the pressure inside it. If the pressure exceeds the can's capacity, it could burst or explode, which is dangerous.

To calculate the new pressure in the can after it is left in a car that reaches 50 °C, we can apply Gay-Lussac's Law in its formula form: P1/T1 = P2/T2, where P1 is the initial pressure, T1 is the initial temperature in kelvins, P2 is the final pressure, and T2 is the final temperature in kelvins.

• Initial conditions: P1 = 360 kPa, T1 = 24 °C = 297 K
• Final temperature: T2 = 50 °C = 323 K

Using the law:P1/T1 = P2/T2
360 kPa / 297 K = P2 / 323 K
P2 = (360 kPa × 323 K) / 297 K

Now, calculate P2 to find the new pressure:P2 ≈ 391 kPa. So, the new pressure in the can after it has been heated to 50 °C would be approximately 391 kPa.