Chemistry / Unit 7 Chem 1333 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Compressibility Factor
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The idea
The compressibility factor is the ratio of a gas's actual molar volume to its ideal-gas-predicted molar volume at the same conditions.
In practice
A factor of exactly 1 signals ideal behavior; values above or below 1 signal real-gas deviation.
Where people slip
A factor below 1 means attraction dominates, shrinking the gas below ideal volume; above 1 means molecular volume dominates instead.
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