why cam you calculate the total pressure of a mixture of gases by adding together the partial pressures of the component gases?

By applying Dalton's law of pressure equations we can calculate the total pressure of a mixture of gases by adding together the partial pressures of the component gases

Explanation:

Dalton's law of partial pressure is the concept used in calculating either partial pressure or total pressure in a given mixture of gases.

The law says that each gas has its own pressure which it puts on the mixture of gases. This pressure is called partial pressure. Also, the sum total of all the gases exerting pressure on the mixture is termed total pressure.

The quantity of individual gas can be known and hence it will get easy to calculate its partial pressure.

The relation used is:

Partial pressure = mole fraction of the one gas from mixture x total pressure in the mixture.

It also says that total pressure is equal to:

total pressure = p1 + p2+p3 ... pn

here p1, p2 is partial pressure of one of gases in mixture.