College

If a gas has a gauge pressure of 156 kPa, its absolute pressure is approximately:

A. 100 kPa
B. 300 kPa
C. 256 kPa
D. 56 kPa

Answer :

To find the absolute pressure of a gas when you know its gauge pressure, you need to add the atmospheric pressure to the gauge pressure. Here's how you can do it step-by-step:

1. Understand the Terms:
- Gauge Pressure: This is the pressure of the gas above atmospheric pressure. In this problem, it's given as 156 kPa.
- Atmospheric Pressure: This is the pressure exerted by the atmosphere. A common approximation is 100 kPa at sea level.
- Absolute Pressure: This is the total pressure exerted by the gas, taking into account both the gauge pressure and the atmospheric pressure.

2. Calculate Absolute Pressure:
- To find the absolute pressure, simply add the atmospheric pressure to the gauge pressure:
[tex]\[
\text{Absolute Pressure} = \text{Gauge Pressure} + \text{Atmospheric Pressure}
\][/tex]
- Plug in the values:
[tex]\[
\text{Absolute Pressure} = 156 \, \text{kPa} + 100 \, \text{kPa} = 256 \, \text{kPa}
\][/tex]

Thus, the absolute pressure of the gas is approximately 256 kPa. Therefore, the correct answer is C. 256 kPa.