I have a chamistry final tomorrow and was trying to study.

 

I my professor's notes, I found an altered form of the ideal gas equation PV=nRT.

 

It's been quite a while since I've had a good math course, so I'm wondering if someone here can show me how

 

PV=nRT is rearranged to give n/v = P/RT

 

I'm having this problem because I don't remember some basic math tricks. Been a while.

 

 

I'd like to understand how this equation is derived.

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

PV = nRT

 

divide both sides by V

 

P = nRT / V

 

divide both sides by RT

 

P / RT = n / V

PV = nRT

 

divide both sides by V

 

P = nRT / V

 

divide both sides by RT

 

P / RT = n / V

I'm just having a hard time because I thought that it was illegal to move RT in that way... I really need to take math again.

 

 

So (P)(V) = (n)®(T)

 

(P) = (n)RT / V = (P/1) = [(n/1)(RT/1)] / V So how is it possible to move the RT...

 

 

 

Got it sorry. Just been a long time now. Dividing by RT is just like multiplying both sides by (1/RT) which is perfectly sound.

 

 

Appreciate the help. It takes some thought.... really need to do more math though.

Got it sorry. Just been a long time now. Dividing by RT is just like multiplying both sides by (1/RT) which is perfectly sound.

 

Yes, it's correct, although it would be illegal if the product RT was equal to zero, since you cannot divide by zero.

 

But, since neither R (gas constant), nor T (temperature) is ever zero, you can divide both sides by RT.