BOYLE’S LAW

Discovered by Robert Boyle in 1662. On the continent of Europe, this law is attributed to Edme
Mariotte, therefore those counties tend to call this law by his name. Mariotte, however, did not
publish his work until 1676.

Boyle's Law gives the relationship between pressure and volume if temperature and amount are
held constant. In words, Boyle found these to be true:

1) If the volume of a container is increased, the pressure decreases.

2) If the volume of a container is decreased, the pressure increases.

What makes them true? We can make brief reference to the ideas of kinetic-molecular theory
(KMT), which Boyle did not have access to in the 1600's. KMT was developed in its modern form
about 200 years after Boyle.

1) Suppose the volume is increased. This means gas molecules have farther to go and they will
impact the container walls less often per unit time. This means the gas pressure will be less because
there are less molecule impacts per unit time.

2) If the volume is decreased, the gas molecules have a shorter distance to go, thus striking the
walls more often per unit time. This results in pressure being increased because there are more
molecule impacts per unit time.

The mathematical form of Boyle's Law is:

PV = k

This means that the pressure-volume product will always be the same value if the temperature and
amount remain constant. This relationship was what Boyle discovered. By the way, what Boyle
made is referred to as an empirical discovery. His data told him what was true (PV = k), but he had
no idea why it was true.

Boyle's Law is an inverse mathematical relationship. As one quantity (P or V) increases in its

value, the other value (P or V) decreases. The constant k does not change in value.

A student might occasionally ask "What is the value for k?"

Suppose P1 and V1 are a pressure-volume pair of data at the start of an experiment. In other words,
some container of gas is created and the volume and pressure of that container is measured. Keep in
mind that the amount of gas and the temperature DOES NOT CHANGE. When you multiply P and
V together, you get a number that is called k. We don't care what the exact value is.

Now, if the volume is changed to a new value called V2, then the pressure will spontaneously
change to P2. It will do so because the PV product must always equal k. The PV product CANNOT
just change to any old value, it MUST go to k. (If the temperature and amount remain the same.)

Of course, you now want to ask "Why does it have to stay at k?" The ChemTeam believes it is best
right now to ignore that question even though it is a perfectly valid one. The answer lies in the area
of kinetic-molecular theory, a topic for another day.

So we know this:

P1V1 = k

And we know that the second data pair equals the same constant:

P2V2 = k

Since k = k, we can create this equality:

P1V1 = P2V2
The equation just above will be very helpful in solving Boyle's Law problems.

By the way, PV = k is Boyle's Law, not the one just above. The one above is just an equation
derived from Boyle's Law.

Example #1: 2.00 L of a gas is at 740.0 mmHg pressure. What is its volume at standard pressure?

Solution:

1) Use this equation:

P1V1 = P2V2

2) Insert values:

(740.0 mmHg) (2.00 L) = (760.0 mmHg) (x)

3) Multiply the left side and divide (by 760.0 mmHg) to solve for x.

x = 1.95 L (to three significant figures)

Note that the units of mmHg will cancel. x is a symbol for an unknown and, technically, does not
carry units. So do not write x L for x liters. Just keep checking to see you are using the proper
equation and you have all the right values and units. Don't put a unit on the unknown.

Also, you need to know what the standard value are for pressure (and for temperature).

Example #2: 5.00 L of a gas is at 1.08 atm. What pressure is obtained when the volume is 10.0 L?

Solution:

Use the same technique as in Example #1:

(1.08 atm) (5.00 L) = (x) (10.0 L)

x = 0.540 L (to three sig figs)

Example #3: 9.48 L of a gas was at an unknown pressure. However, at standard pressure, its
volume was measured to be 8.00 L. What was the unknown pressure?

Solution:

Notice the units of the pressure were not specified, so any can be used. If this were a test question,
you might want to inquire of the teacher as to a possible omission of desired units. Let's use kPa
since the other two pressure units were used above.

Once again, insert into P1V1 = P2V2 for the solution.

(x) (9.48 L) = (101.325 kPa) (8.00 L)

x = 85.5 kPa

Hopefully you can see that Boyle's Law problems all use basically the same solution technique. It's
just a question of where the x is located. Two problems will arise during the gas laws unit in your
classroom:
 1. How to match a given problem with what law it is, so you can solve it.
2. Watching out for questions worded in a slightly confusing manner or with unnecessary
information. Teachers like to do these sorts of things, if you haven't yet noticed.

Here's an example of asking a question in a confusing manner: give the pressure in the problem in
one unit (say, mmHg) but ask for the answer to be in a different unit (say, atm.). You have to either
(a) convert the mmHg to atm before the calculation or (b) convert the mmHg answer to atm after
the calculation. Believe me, a lot of students get trapped by this technique.

A variant of the above is to give two pressure values in the problem (thus making it be volume that
you are calculating). However, the two different pressures are provided using different units (say,
atm and mmHg). You MUST convert one unit to the other unit (either conversion direction is OK)
before doing the calculation.

Personally, I think this attempt to make the problems confusing stems from the fact that, more or
less, all Boyle's Law problems are the same. So, people have come up with some extra spice to
season the sauce, so to speak.

Example #4: If we have 6.00 cm3 of gas at a pressure of 10.0 N/cm2 and we increase the pressure
to 20.0 N/cm2, what volume will the gas occupy?

Solution:

Newtons per square centimeter is not a unit you often see in chemistry, but it doesn't matter what
the unit is, just a long as both P1 and P2 are expressed using the same unit.

(10.0) (6.00) = (20.0) (x)

x = 3.00 cm3

Notice that, when the pressure was doubled, the volume was cut in half. Also, be careful. Your
teacher may want you to include the units in the problem, like this:

(10.0 N/cm2) (6.00 cm3) = (20.0 N/cm2) (x)

Example #5: What pressure is required to compress 196.0 liters of air at 1.00 atmosphere into a
cylinder whose volume is 26.0 liters?

Solution:

(1.00 atm) (196.0 L) = (x) (26.0 L)

x = 7.54 atm (to three sig figs)

Example #6: An evacuated flask A, which has a volume of 30 mL, is attached to a second flask B
containing an ideal gas at a pressure of 5 atm. When the two flasks are connected the pressure in
the system drops to 2 atm. Calculate the volume of flask B.

Solution:

1) Here's the set-up to solve the problem:

P1V1 = P2V2

(5 atm) (x) = (2 atm) (x + 30)

2) Left side of equation:

Flask B has all the pressure since A is evacuated. We do not know the volume of Flask B. That's
this part of the above equation:

(5 atm) (x)

3) Right side of equation:

The two flasks are now connected and the total volume goes up by 30 mL and the total pressure
drops to 2 atm. That's this part:

(2 atm) (x + 30)

4) We solve:

5x = 2x + 60

3x = 60

x = 20 mL

5) Does it work?

(5 atm) (20 mL) = (2 atm) (50 mL)

Example #7: Three bulbs are connected by tubing, and the tubing is evacuated. The volume of the
tubing is 39.0 mL. The first bulb has a volume of 56.0 mL and contains 5.92 atm of argon, the
second bulb has a volume of 250.0 mL and contains 1.28 atm of neon, and the third bulb has a
volume of 37.0 mL and contains 8.50 atm of hydrogen. If the stopcocks (valves) that isolate all
three bulbs are opened, what is the final pressure of the whole system in atm?

Solution:

1) Get the total volume of the system:

39.0 + 56.0 + 250.0 + 37.0 = 382 mL

2) You will use Boyle's Law three times, then add up the three results for the final pressure.

argon ---> (5.92 atm) (56.0 mL) = (x) (382.0 mL) ---> x = 0.8678534 atm
neon ---> (1.28 atm) (250.0 mL) = (y) (382.0 mL) ---> y = 0.8376963 atm
hydrogen ---> (8.50 atm) (37.0 mL) = (z) (382.0 mL) ---> z = 0.8232984 atm

3) Add 'em up and round off:

2.5288481 atm

2.53 atm (to three sig figs)

4) You could also do this:

P1V1 + P2V2 + P3V3 = P4V4

And do the left-hand side on the calculator, then divide by V4 (which is the 382.0 value)

Example #8: In order to measure the volume of a piece of apparatus, a chemist filled a 750. mL
flask with 46.65 kPa pressure of gas, then expanded it into the apparatus. The final pressure was
14.95 kPa. Calculate the total volume occupied by the gas.

Solution:
P1 = 46.65 kPa
V1 = 750. mL

P2 = 14.95 kPa
V2 = x + 750. mL

(46.65 kPa) (750. mL) = (14.95 kPa) (x + 750. mL)

34987.5 = 14.95x + 11212.5

14.95x = 23775

x = 1590 mL (to three sig figs)

Example #9: Boyle's Law deals with the relationship between two of the variables (of four) that
describe gas behavior. Which two variables are held constant in Boyle's Law problems?

(a) pressure/moles
(b) temperature/volume
(c) pressure/volume
(d) temperature/moles
(e) volume/moles

Solution:

The correct answer is (d). Boyle's Law deals with the relationship between pressure and volume
(two of the four variables). For Boyle's Law to be valid, the other two variables must be held
constant. Those two variables are temperature and amount of gas (the last one being measured in
moles).

Example #10: A balloon contains 7.20 L of He. The pressure is reduced to 2.00 atm and the
balloon expands to occupy a volume of 25.2 L. What was the initial pressure exerted on the
balloon?

Solution:

1) Write the equation used to solve Boyle's Law problems and manipulate it to isolate P 1:

P1V1 = P2V2

P1 = (P2V2) / V1

2) Insert values and solve:

P1 = [(2.00 atm) (25.2 L)] / 7.20 L

P1 = 7.00 atm

I tried to put the answers in the form of P1V1 = P2V2. They don't have to be in that order, except
that the sub ones must be paired on one side of the equals sign and the sub twos must be paired on
the other.

For the most part, only set-ups are provided, no answers.

Problem #1: A gas occupies 12.3 liters at a pressure of 40.0 mmHg. What is the volume when the
pressure is increased to 60.0 mmHg?
(40.0 mmHg) (12.3 liters) = (60.0 mmHg) (x)

x = 8.20 L

Note three significant figures.

Problem #2: If a gas at 25.0 °C occupies 3.60 liters at a pressure of 1.00 atm, what will be its
volume at a pressure of 2.50 atm?

(1.00 atm) ( 3.60 liters) = (2.50 atm) (x)

x = 1.44 L

Problem #3: To what pressure must a gas be compressed in order to get into a 3.00 cubic foot tank
the entire weight of a gas that occupies 400.0 cu. ft. at standard pressure?

(400.0 cu. ft) (1.00 atm) = (x) (3.00 cubic foot)

x = 133 atm

It doesn't matter what the volume units are. It just matters that they be the same on each side.

Problem #4: A gas occupies 1.56 L at 1.00 atm. What will be the volume of this gas if the pressure
becomes 3.00 atm?

(1.56 L) (1.00 atm) = (3.00 atm) (x)

0.520 L

Problem #5: A gas occupies 11.2 liters at 0.860 atm. What is the pressure if the volume becomes
15.0 L?

(11.2 liters) (0.860 atm) = (x) (15.0 L)

x = 0.642 atm

Problem #6: 500.0 mL of a gas is collected at 745.0 mmHg. What will the volume be at standard
pressure?

(745.0 mmHg) (500.0 mL) = (760.0 mmHg) (x)

x = 490.1 mL

Problem #7: Convert 350.0 mL at 740.0 mmHg to its new volume at standard pressure.

(740.0 mmHg) (350.0 mL) = (760.0 mmHg) (x)

Problem #8: Convert 338 L at 63.0 atm to its new volume at standard pressure.

(63.0 atm) (338 L) = (1.00 atm) (x)

Problem #9: Convert 273.15 mL at 166.0 kPa to its new volume at standard pressure.

(166.0 kPa) (273.15 mL) = (101.325 kPa) (x)

Problem #10: Convert 77.0 L at 18.0 mmHg to its new volume at standard pressure.

(18.0 mmHg) (77.0 L) = (760.0 mmHg) (x)

Problem #11: When the pressure on a gas increases, will the volume increase or decrease?

Volume will decrease.

Problem #12: If the pressure on a gas is decreased by one-half, how large will the volume change
be?

It will double in size.

Problem #13: A gas occupies 4.31 liters at a pressure of 0.755 atm. Determine the volume if the
pressure is increased to 1.25 atm.

(0.755 atm) (4.31 liters) = (1.25 atm) (x)

Problem #14: 600.0 mL of a gas is at a pressure of 8.00 atm. What is the volume of the gas at 2.00
atm?

(8.00 atm) (600.0 mL) = (2.00 atm) (x)

Problem #15: 400.0 mL of a gas are under a pressure of 800.0 torr. What would the volume of the
gas be at a pressure of 1000.0 torr?

(800.0 torr) (400.0 mL) = (1000.0 torr) (x)

Bonus Example: A particular balloon is designed by its manufacturer to be inflated to a volume of

no more than 2.5 liters. If the balloon is filled with 2.0 liters of helium at sea level (101.3 kPa), and
rises to an altitude at which the boiling temperature of water is only 88 degrees Celsius, will the
balloon burst?

Solution:

Comment: These is no way of determining the starting temperature of the gas. However, we know
something not in the problem: at sea level, the boiling point of water is 100 °C. So:

1) Let us use a ratio and proportion to estimate the pressure required for water to boil at 88 °C:

100 °C is to 101.3 kPa as 88 °C is to x

x = 89.144 kPa

2) Now, we can solve the problem using Boyle's Law:

P1V1 = P2V2
(101.3) (2.0) = (88.144) (x)

x = 2.27 L

The balloon will not burst.

Comment: Boyle's Law assumes that the temperature and amount of gas are constant. Since we
never knew the starting temperature, we will assume it never changed as the balloon rose. If the
temperature actually did change, but by some unknown value, then we cannot solve the problem.

Problem #16: 4.00 L of a gas are under a pressure of 6.00 atm What is the volume of the gas at
2.00 atm?

Solution:

(6.00 atm) (4.00 L) = (2.00 atm) (x)

Problem #17: A gas occupies 25.3 mL at a pressure of 790.5 mmHg. Determine the volume if the
pressure is reduced to 0.804 atm

Solution:

(790.5 mmHg) (25.3 mL) = ( 0.804 atm) (x)

This is wrong!! You MUST change one of the pressures units so both are the same. I'll change the
mmHg to atm:

(790.5 mmHg / 760.0 mmHg/atm) (25.3 mL) = ( 0.804 atm) (x)

Problem #18: A sample of gas has a volume of 12.0 L and a pressure of 1.00 atm If the pressure of
gas is increased to 2.00 atm, what is the new volume of the gas?

Solution:

(1.00 atm) (12.0 L) = (2.00 atm) (x)

Problem #19: A container of oxygen has a volume of 30.0 mL and a pressure of 4.00 atm If the
pressure of the oxygen gas is reduced to 2.00 atm and the temperature is kept constant, what is the
new volume of the oxygen gas?

Solution:

(4.00 atm) (30.0 mL) = (2.00 atm) (x)

Problem #20: A tank of nitrogen has a volume of 14.0 L and a pressure of 760.0 mmHg. Find the
volume of the nitrogen when its pressure is changed to 400.0 mmHg while the temperature is held
constant.

Solution:

(760.0 mmHg) (14.0 L) = (400.0 mmHg) (x)

Problem #21: A 40.0 L tank of ammonia has a pressure of 8.00 atm Calculate the volume of the
ammonia if its pressure is changed to 12.0 atm while its temperature remains constant.

Solution:

(8.00 atm) (40.0 L ) = (12.0 atm) (x)

Problem #22: Two hundred liters of helium at 2.00 atm and 28.0 °C is placed into a tank with an
internal pressure of 600.0 kPa. Find the volume of the helium after it is compressed into the tank
when the temperature of the tank remains 28.0 °C.

Solution:

(2.00 atm) (200.0 L) = (600.0 kPa) (x)

This is wrong. The pressure units must be the same. I'll change the atm to kPa. You could go the
other way if you want, the answer would be the same.

(2.00 atm x 101.325 kPa/atm) (200.0 L) = (600.0 kPa) (x)

In fact, here's the problem with the kPa changed to atm:

(2.00 atm) (200.0 L) = (600.0 kPa / 101.325 kPa/atm) (x)

Problem #23: You are now wearing scuba gear and swimming under water at a depth of 66.0 ft.
You are breathing air at 3.00 atm and your lung volume is 10.0 L. Your scuba gauge indicates that
your air supply is low so, to conserve air, you make a terrible and fatal mistake: you hold your
breath while you surface. What happens to your lungs? Why?

Solution:

Your lungs will "explode." As you go up towards the surface, the pressure on your body and lungs
becomes less. The air in your lungs expands. What would happen is the alveoli and small
capallaries in the lungs would rupture, causing massive bleeding in the lungs. You'd die.

No, your body would not swell up and burst, like a balloon.

Problem #24: Solve Boyle's Law equation for V2.

Solution:

V2 = (P1V1) / P2

Problem #25: Boyle's Law deals with the relationship between what quantities?

(a) pressure/temperature
(b) pressure/volume
(c) volume/temperature
(d) moles/pressure
(e) none of these

Solution:

(b)
Problem #26: A 1.5 liter flask is filled with nitrogen at a pressure of 12 atmospheres. What size
flask would be required to hold this gas at a pressure of 2.0 atmospheres?

Solution:

(12 atm) (1.5 liter) = (2.0 atm) (x)

Problem #27: 300 mL of O2 are collected at a pressure of 645 mm of mercury. What volume will
this gas have at one atmosphere pressure?

Solution:

(645 mmHg) (300 mL) = (1.00 atm) (x)

This is wrong. I will change atm to mmHg.

(645 mmHg) (300 mL) = (760 mmHg) (x)

Problem #28: How many cubic feet of air at standard conditions (1.00 atm) are required to inflate a
bicycle tire of 0.50 cu. ft. to a pressure of 3.00 atmospheres?

Solution:

(1.00 atm) (x) = (3.00 atm) (0.50 cu. ft.)

Problem #29: How much will the volume of 75.0 mL of neon change if the pressure is lowered
from 50.0 torr to 8.00 torr?

Solution:

(50.0 torr) (75.0 mL) = (8.00 torr) (x)

Problem #30: A tank of helium has a volume of 50.0 liters and is under a pressure of 2000.0 p.s.i.
This gas is allowed to flow into a blimp until the pressure in the tank drops to 40.00 p.s.i. and the
pressure in the blimp is 30.00 p.s.i. What will be the volume of the blimp?

Solution:

(1960.0 p.s.i.) (50.0 liters) = (30.00 p.s.i.) (x)

Important point: 2000 psi - 40 psi = 1960 psi flowed out of tank. 2000 is not used in calculation.

Bonus Example: A spherical weather balloon is constructed so that the gas inside can expand as
the balloon ascends to higher altitudes where the pressure is lower. If the radius of the spherical
balloon is 2.5 m at sea level where the pressure is 1.004 x 105 Pa, what will be the radius at an
altitude of about 10 km where the pressure of the gas is 2.799 x 10 4 Pa? For simplicity, assume the
temperature has not changed.

Solution:

I used P1V1 = P2V2 for this:

[(4/3)(3.14159)(2.5 m)3] (1.004 x 105 Pa) = [(4/3)(3.14159)(x)3] (2.799 x 104 Pa)

 However, notice something about the two volumes shown. Each is done as the formula for the
volume of a sphere: V = (4/3)(π)(r3). Please notice that the (4/3)(π) portion will cancel out:

(2.5 m)3 (1.004 x 105 Pa) = (x)3 (2.799 x 104 Pa)

x3 = [(15.625 m3) (1.004 x 105 Pa)] / 2.799 x 104 Pa

x3 = 56.05 m3

x = 3.8 m (to two significant figures)

A sample of gas has an initial pressure of 2.44 atm and an initial volume of 4.01 L. Its pressure changes
to 1.93 atm. What is the new volume if temperature and amount are kept constant?

SOLUTION

Steps for
Problem
Solving

Identify the Given: P1 = 2.44 atm and V1 = 4.01 L

"given"information
and what the P2 = 1.93 atm
problem is asking
you to "find." Find: V2 = ? L

List other known

none
quantities.

First, rearrange the equation algebraically to solve for V2V2.

Plan the problem.
V2=P1×V1P2(11.4.4)(11.4.4)V2=P1×V1P2

Now substitute the known quantities into the equation and solve.
Cancel units and
calculate. V2=2.44atm×4.01L1.93atm=5.07L(11.4.5)(11.4.5)V2=2.44atm×4.01L1.93atm=5.07L

We know that pressure and volume are inversely related; as one decreases, the
Think about your other increases. Pressure is decreasing (from 2.44 atm to 1.93 atm), so volume
result. should be increasing to compensate, and it is (from 4.01 L to 5.07 L). So the
answer makes sense based on Boyle’s law.

EXERCISE 11.4.111.4.1
If P1 = 334 torr, V1 = 37.8 mL, and P2 = 102 torr, what is V2?

Answer
124 mL

As mentioned, you can use any units for pressure or volume, but both pressures must be expressed in
the same units, and both volumes must be expressed in the same units.
EXAMPLE 11.4.211.4.2:
A sample of gas has an initial pressure of 722 torr and an initial volume of 88.8 mL. Its volume changes
to 0.663 L. What is the new pressure?

SOLUTION

Steps for
Problem
Solving

Identify the
Given: P1 = 722 torr and V1 = 88.8 mL
"given"informati
on and what
V2 = 0.633 L
the problem is
asking you to
Find: P2 = ? torr
"find."

List other
known 1 L = 1000 mL to have the same units for volume.
quantities.

1. Perform the conversion of the second volume unit from L to mL.

Plan the 2. Rearrange the equation algebraically to solve for P2P2.

problem.
P2=P1×V1V2(11.4.6)(11.4.6)P2=P1×V1V2

1.

0.663L×1000ml1L=663ml(11.4.7)(11.4.7)0.663L×1000ml1L=663ml
Cancel units
and calculate. 2. Substitute the known quantities into the equation and solve.
P2=722torr×88.8mL663mL=96.7torr(11.4.8)(11.4.8)P2=722torr×88.8mL663m
L=96.7torr

Think about When the volume increased, the pressure decreased, which is as expected
your result. for Boyle’s law.

EXERCISE 11.4.211.4.2
If V1 = 456 mL, P1 = 308 torr, and P2 = 1.55 atm, what is V2?

Answer
119 mL

Summary
 The behavior of gases can be modeled with gas laws.
 Boyle’s law relates a gas’s pressure and volume at constant temperature and amount.

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1) A container holds 500. mL of CO2 at 20.° C and 742 torr. What will be the volume of the CO2 if the pressure is
increased to 795 torr?

2) A gas tank holds 2785 L of propane, C3H8, at 830. mm Hg. What is the volume of the propane at standard pressure?

3) A balloon contains 7.2 L of He. The pressure is reduced to 2.00 atm and the balloon expands to occupy a volume of
25.1 L. What was the initial pressure exerted on the balloon?

4) A sample of neon occupies a volume of 461 mL at STP. What will be the volume of the neon when the pressure is
reduced to 93.3 kPa?

5) 352 mL of chlorine under a pressure of 680. mm Hg are placed in a container under a pressure of 1210 mm Hg. The
temperature remains constant at 296 K. What is the volume of the container in liters?