What does Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures state?

Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures states that the total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas in the mixture. This means that each gas in a mixture contributes to the overall pressure in proportion to its amount, or concentration, in the mixture.

The partial pressure of a gas is defined as the pressure that gas would exert if it occupied the entire volume alone at the same temperature. This principle is fundamental in understanding gas behaviors in mixtures, and it applies regardless of the identity or quantity of the gases involved. Thus, if you have multiple gases in a container, you can find the total pressure by measuring the individual pressures of each gas and summing them up. This aligns directly with the formulation of Dalton's Law, making the correct choice clear and foundational to the study of gas laws in chemistry.