At standard temperature and pressure (STP), how much volume does 1 mole of gas occupy?

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Study for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Test your chemistry skills with multiple-choice questions, each providing hints and explanations. Get exam ready!

At standard temperature and pressure (STP), which is defined as a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius (273.15 K) and a pressure of 1 atmosphere, 1 mole of an ideal gas occupies a volume of 22.4 liters. This relationship is derived from the ideal gas law, which states that under these specific conditions, the behavior of gases can be modeled effectively by this law.

The volume of 22.4 liters is the standard molar volume of an ideal gas at STP, and this understanding is critical for various calculations in chemistry involving gas behaviors. The significance of knowing this volume allows for the conversion of moles of a gas to volume, which is particularly useful in stoichiometry, where relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions can be understood in terms of gas volumes.

In the context of the choices given, 22.4 L is universally accepted as the volume that 1 mole of any ideal gas occupies at STP. The other options—24.0 L, 26.0 L, and 28.4 L—do not correspond to this well-established figure and do not reflect the standard conditions that govern gas behavior according to the ideal gas law. Understanding this principle is foundational