Many times I have asked myself what is universal gas constant which I have been studying for so many years.
During my school days,I used to mug up the value of the value of Universal gas constant because the units are sure to be as one question in objective type.So...
During my school days it was like:
R=8.314 J/mol/K
R=1.987 cal/mol/K.
Oh! I need to mug up the unit...OK...J/mol/K...Cal/mol/K...In my exams,atlast I used to get confused and mark wrong answer!!!
I used to think in my mind why people have discovered so many units(SI,CGS etc.) just to confuse everyone....especially students....
Universal gas constant doesn't end with school.Infact it is the beginning...
In college as I had taken Chemical Engg(Without even being now aware of what the subjects are!),So universal gas constant was bound to continue...
Aarthi,my teacher during my B.Tech days with whose help I have just passed...just passed many exams... used to teach so many chemical Engg. subjects especially problems.So she used to say Ok,then...
"In this problem you have to put the value of R and 2-3 Eqns.S the problem is solved...."
After a gap of so many years...R is still not leaving me...
Now as a Scientific Officer,my HOD asks me, " why don't you calculate the enthalpy of Pyrite oxidation and Free energy of Uranium oxidation".
Myself:Ok,Sure sir!
Next...Going to the library to search Enthalpy,entropy and gibb's free energy.
Accidently I come across R once again.As the book(Moore's Chemical Metallurgy) was interesting and teaching me all the basics,I got to know what finally R is :
For gases,molar heat capacity is found to vary i.e.value of Molar Heat capacity of gases at Consant Pressure vary from Molar Heat capacity of gases at Consant Volume and this variation is found to be almost constant for all gases and that is why it is called as Universal Gas constant and is also equal to Cp-Cv.
That is the reason why it is called
Universal as it is applicable to most of the gases
Gas as it is applicabe to gases
Constant as the value is almost found to be constant.
Eureka!Atlast I found it.Like this, there are so many questions in my mind.If I find answers,I definitely will write them.
