Lesson 1

The Gas Laws

 Focus Question

How are a gas's temperature, pressure,

and volume related?
 New Vocabulary

Boyle’s law
absolute zero
Charles’s law
Gay-Lussac’s law
combined gas law
 Review Vocabulary

scientific law: describes a relationship in nature that

is supported by many experiments
 Boyle’s Law

How Pressure and Volume are Related

• Boyle’s law states that the volume of a fixed
amount of gas held at a constant temperature
varies inversely with the pressure.

P1V1 = P2V2 where P = pressure and V = volume

• Look at the graph on the next slide in which

volume versus pressure is plotted for a gas.
The plot of an inversely proportional
relationship results in a downward curve.
Boyle’s Law
BOYLE’S LAW
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Use Boyle’s law. Solve for V2 , and calculate the
Use with Example Problem 1. new volume.
Problem • State Boyle’s law.
A diver blows a 0.75-L air bubble 10 m under P1V1 = P2V2
water. As it rises to the surface, the pressure • Solve for V2.
goes from 2.25 atm to 1.03 atm. What will
be the volume of air in the bubble at the V2 = V1
surface? • Substitute V1 = 0.75 L, P1 = 2.25 atm, and P2
Response = 1.03 atm.
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM V2 = 0.75 L
According to Boyle’s law, the decrease in pressure • Multiply and divide numbers and units.
on the bubble will result in an increase in volume, V2 = 0.75 L =1.6 L
so the initial volume should be multiplied by a
pressure ratio greater than 1.

KNOWN UNKNOWN EVALUATE THE ANSWER

The pressure decreases by roughly half, so
V1 = 0.75 L V2 = ? L the volume should roughly double. The
P1 = 2.25 atm answer is expressed in liters, a unit of
volume, and correctly contains two significant
P2 = 1.03 atm figures.
 Charles’s Law

How Temperature and Volume are Related

• As temperature increases, so does the volume
of a gas sample when the amount of gas and
pressure remain constant.
 Charles’s Law

Graphing Temperature and Volume

• A temperature of 0 K corresponds to 0 mL.
Doubling temperature doubles volume.
• Absolute zero is zero on the Kelvin scale.
 Using Charles’s law

Using Charles’s Law

• Charles’s law states that the volume of a
given amount of gas is directly proportional to
its Kelvin temperature at constant pressure.
CHARLES’S LAW

Use with Example Problem 2.

Problem KNOWN UNKNOWN
A helium balloon in a closed car occupies a T2 = 40.0°C V2 = ? L
volume of 2.32 L at 40.0°C. If the car is parked
on a hot day and the temperature inside rises V1 = 2.32 L
to 75.0°C, what is the new volume of the T2 = 75.0°C
balloon, assuming the pressure remains
constant? SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Convert degrees Celsius to kelvins.
Response
• Apply the conversion factor.
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
Charles’s law states that as the temperature of a TK = 273 + TC
fixed amount of gas increases, so does its • Substitute T1 = 40.0°C.
volume, assuming constant pressure. Therefore,
the volume of the balloon will increase. The T 1 = 273 + 40.0°C = 313.0 K
initial volume should be multiplied by a • Substitute T2 = 75.0°C.
temperature ratio greater than 1.
T2 = 273 + 75.0°C = 348.0 K
CHARLES’S LAW

Use with Example Problem 2.

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN (continued) EVALUATE THE ANSWER

Use Charles’s law. Solve for V2, and substitute The increase in kelvins is relatively small, so
the volume should show a small increase. The
the known values into the rearranged equation.
unit of the answer is liters, a volume unit, and
• State Charles’s law. there are three significant figures.
=
• Solve for V2
=
• Substitute V1 = 2.32 L, T 1 = 313.0 K, and T2 =
348.0 K.
V2 = 2.32 L
• Multiply and divide numbers and units.
V2 = 2.32 L = 2.58 L
 Gay-Lussac’s Law

How Temperature and Pressure of a Gas are Related

• Gay-Lussac’s law states that the pressure of a
fixed amount of gas varies directly with the Kelvin
temperature when the volume remains constant.

• The figure and graph on the next slide illustrate

this.
Gay-Lussac’s Law
GAY-LUSSAC’S LAW

Use with Example Problem 3.

KNOWN UNKNOWN
Problem
The pressure of the oxygen gas inside a canister is
P1 = 5.00 atm P2 = ? atm
5.00 atm at 25.0°C. The canister is located at a T1 = 25.0°C
camp high on Mount Everest. If the temperature
there falls to -10.0°C, what is the new pressure T2 = -10.0°C
inside the canister?
Response SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM Convert degrees Celsius to kelvins.
Gay-Lussac’s law states that if the temperature of • Apply the conversion factor.
a gas decreases, so does its pressure when
TK = 273 + TC
volume is constant. Therefore, the pressure in the
oxygen canister will decrease. The initial pressure • Substitute T1 = 25.0°C.
should be multiplied by a temperature ratio less T1 = 273 + 25.0°C = 298.0 K
than 1. The initial volume should be multiplied by
a temperature ratio greater than 1. • Substitute T2 = -10.0°C.
T2 = 273 + (-10.0°C) = 263.0 K
GAY-LUSSAC’S LAW

Use with Example Problem 3.

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN (continued)

EVALUATE THE ANSWER
Use Gay-Lussac’s law. Solve for P2, and substitute
Kelvin temperature decreases, so the
the known values into the rearranged equation. pressure should decrease. The unit is atm, a
• State Gay-Lussac’s law. pressure unit, and there are three significant
= figures.
• Solve for P2
P2 = P1
• Substitute P1 =5.00 atm, T1 = 298.0 K, and T2 =
263.0 K.
P2 = 5.00 atm
• Multiply and divide numbers and units.
P2 = 5.00 atm = 4.41 atm
 The Combined Gas Law

• The combined gas law states the relationship

among pressure, temperature, and volume of
a fixed amount of gas.
• For a given amount of gas, the product of
pressure and volume, divided by the Kelvin
temperature, is a constant.
THE COMBINED GAS LAW
KNOWN UNKNOWN

Use with Example Problem 4. P1 = 110 kPa V2 = ? L

Problem P2 = 440 kPa

A gas at 110 kPa and 30.0°C fills a flexible T1 = 30.0ºC
container with an initial volume of 2.00 L. If
the temperature is raised to 80.0°C and the T2 = 80.0ºC
pressure increases to 440 kPa, what is the V1 = 2.00 L
new volume?
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
Response Convert degrees Celsius to kelvins.
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM Apply the conversion factor.
Both pressure and temperature change, so you TK = 273 + TC
will need to use the combined gas law. The
pressure quadruples, but the temperature does • Substitute T1 = 30.0°C.
not increase by such a large factor. Therefore, the T1 = 273 + 30.0°C = 303.0 K
new volume will be smaller than the starting
volume. • Substitute T2 = 80.0°C.
T2 = 273 + 80.0°C = 353.0 K
THE COMBINED GAS LAW

Use with Example Problem 4.

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN (continued) • Multiply and divide numbers and units.
Use the combined gas law. Solve for V2, and V2 = 2.00 L = 0.58 L
substitute the known values into the
rearranged equation.
• EVALUATE THE ANSWER
State the combined gas law.
Because the pressure change is much greater
=
than the temperature change, the volume
• Solve for V2 . undergoes a net decrease. The unit is liters, a
V2 = V1 volume unit, and there are two significant
figures.
• Substitute V1 = 2.00 L, P1 = 110 kPa, P2 = 440
kPa, T 2 = 353.0 K, and T1 = 303.0 K.
V2 = 2.00 L
 Quiz
1. According to Boyle’s law, what happens to the volume
of a fixed amount of gas at a constant temperature
when the pressure doubles?
A It doubles

B It decreases by half. CORRECT

C It triples.

D It stays the same.

 Quiz

2. Which is NOT true about absolute zero?

A It is the possible lowest C It is zero on the

theoretical temperature. Celsius scale.
CORRECT
B Atoms are in the lowest D It is zero on the
possible energy state. Kelvin scale.
 Quiz

3. Which law states that the volume of a given

amount of gas is directly proportional to its Kelvin
temperature at constant pressure?

A Gay-Lussac’s law

B Combined gas law

C Charles’s law CORRECT

D Boyle’s law
 Quiz

4. Which variables remain constant when applying

the formula for Gay-Lussac’s law?

A amount of gas, C amount of gas,

temperature pressure

B amount of gas D amount of gas,

volume
CORRECT