GAS LAWS: Boyle’s Law, Charles’s Law and Gay-Lussac’s law

I. LEARNING CONTENT
The gas laws are easy to demonstrate with everyday household items. These related
scientific principles describe how the volume, pressure and temperature of a gas change
under various conditions, and represent a cornerstone of chemistry and physics. A gas law
experiment shows what happens to one property, such as the volume, when you change
another, such as temperature, while keeping the remaining one the same.

Look at this scuba diver. What causes

bubbles in his tank as he swims deeper into the
sea?

When a scuba diver exhales, water bubbles

released grow larger as it reaches the surface. This
happens since the pressure exerted by the water
decreases with depth, and hence the volume of the
bubbles increases as they approach the surface.

Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/scuba-ocean- This is an example of a

waste-face-masks-ppe-covid/ Boyle’s law.

BOYLE’S LAW: Pressure and Volume

Boyle’s law is a gas law which states that the pressure exerted by a gas (of a given
mass, kept at a constant temperature) is inversely proportional to the volume occupied by it.
In other words, the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional to each other as
long as the temperature and the quantity of gas are kept constant.

Who was Robert Boyle?

Robert William Boyle (25 January 1627 – 31
December 1691) was an Anglo-Irish natural
philosopher, chemist, physicist, and
inventor. Boyle is largely regarded today as the
first modern chemist, and therefore one of the
founders of modern chemistry, and one of the
pioneers of the modern experimental scientific
method. He is best known for Boyle's law which
describes the inversely proportional
Source: relationship between the
https://www.christianity.com/church/church- absolute pressure and volume of a gas if
history/timeline/1601-1700/robert-boyle-father- the temperature is kept constant within
of-modern-chemistry-11630103.html a closed system.
Formula and Derivation

As per Boyle’s law, any change in the volume occupied by a gas (at constant quantity and
temperature) will result in a change in the pressure exerted by it. In other words, the product of
the initial pressure and the initial volume of a gas is equal to the product of its final pressure and
final volume (at constant temperature and number of moles). This law can be expressed
mathematically as follows:
P1V1 = P2V2
Where,

• P1 is the initial pressure exerted by the gas

• V1 is the initial volume occupied by the gas
• P2 is the final pressure exerted by the gas
• V2 is the final volume occupied by the gas
Note: From P1V1 = P2V2, you can already derive 4 formulas from here.
P1= P2V2/ V1 P2= P1V1/ V2 V1= P2V2/ P1 V2= P1V1/ P2

Solved Exercises on Boyle’s Law

Exercise 1
A fixed amount of a gas occupies a volume of 1L and exerts a pressure of 400 kPa on the
walls of its container. What would be the pressure exerted by the gas if it is completely
transferred into a new container having a volume of 3 liters (assuming the temperature and
quantity of gas remains constant)?
Given,
Initial volume (V1) = 1L
Initial pressure (P1) = 400 kPa
Final volume (V2) = 3L
As per Boyle’s law, P1V1 = P2V2
P2 = (P1V1)/V2
P2 = (1L * 400 kPa)/3L = 133.33 kPa
 Therefore, the gas exerts a pressure of 133.33 kPa on the walls of the 3-liter container.
Exercise 2
A gas exerts a pressure of 3 kPa on the walls of container 1. When container 1 is emptied
into a 10-liter container, the pressure exerted by the gas increases to 6 kPa. Find the volume of
container 1. Assume that the temperature and quantity of the gas remain constant.
Given,
Initial pressure, P1 = 3kPa
Final pressure, P2 = 6kPa
Final volume, V2 = 10L
According to Boyle’s law,
V1 = (P2V2)/P1
V1 = (6 kPa * 10 L)/3 kPa = 20 L
Therefore, the volume of container 1 is 20 L.
Try this!
Exercise 1:
1. A sample of Oxygen gas has a volume of 20.0 L at 740 mmHg. What will be the volume of
the gas at 2.00 atm if temperature is made constant
Real-World Applications of Boyle's Law
You have probably been well-acquainted with Boyle's law for most of your life without realizing
it. We experience examples of this law on a regular basis. The first example is a rather common one,
assuming you have filled a tire with air before. Here are other applications of Boyle’s law.

• Deep sea fish die when brought to the surface. (The pressure decreases as the fish are
brought to the surface, so the volume of gases in their bodies increases, and pops
bladders, cells, and membranes).
• Pushing in the plunger of a plugged-up syringe decreases the volume of air trapped
under the plunger.

CHARLES’S LAW: Volume and Temperature

Everybody enjoys the smell and taste of freshly-baked bread. It is light and fluffy as a
result of the action of yeast on sugar. The yeast converts the sugar to carbon dioxide, which at
high temperatures causes the dough to expand. The end result is an enjoyable treat, especially
when covered with melted butter.
Charles's Law

French physicist Jacques Charles (1746-1823) studied the effect of temperature on the volume
of a gas at constant pressure. Charles's Law states that the volume of a given mass of gas varies
directly with the absolute temperature of the gas when pressure is kept constant. The absolute
temperature is temperature measured with the Kelvin scale. The Kelvin scale must be used
because zero on the Kelvin scale corresponds to a complete stop of molecular motion.

The mathematical relationship of Charles's Law becomes:

V1T2=V2T1

This equation can be used to calculate any one of the four quantities if the other three are
known. The direct relationship will only hold if the temperatures are expressed in Kelvin.
Temperatures in Celsius will not work. Recall the relationship that K=oC+273K=oC+273.

Note! Always convert the temperature to Kelvin.

From the given equation V1T2=V2T1, you can derive 4 formulas like what we

did in Boyle’s law.

Example 1:

A balloon is filled to a volume of 2.20L at a temperature of 22 0C The balloon is then heated to a

temperature of 710C. Find the new volume of the balloon.

Solution:

Given:

V1=2.20L

T1=22 0C=295K

T2=71 0C=344K

Find: V2 = ? L

The temperatures have first been converted to Kelvin.

First, rearrange the equation algebraically to solve for V2 .

V2=V1×T2

T1

Now substitute the known quantities into the equation and solve. Cancel the same
units.

V2=2.20L×344K

295K

=2.57L

Example 2:

A tank of Nitrogen has a volume of 14.0 L and a temperature of 760K. Find the volume of
the Nitrogen when its temperature is changed to 400K while the pressure is held constant.
Given”
V1= 14.0L
V2= ?
T1= 760K
T2= 400K

Solution:
Step 1. From the formula
V1T2=V2T1

You get
V2 = V1 T2
T1
Step 2. Substituting known values:
V2 = 14L X 400 K/760 K = 7.37 L

Try This!

Exercise 2:

A sample of a gas has an initial volume of 34.8 L and an initial temperature of −67°C. What must
be the temperature of the gas for its volume to be 25.0 L?
 Real-life Examples of Charles's Law
• =A hot air balloons.
• =The human lungs.
• =Pool floats in a swimming pool.
• =A ping-pong ball with rackets.
• =Seasonal expansion and contraction of tires.
• =A helium balloon shrinks in a cold environment.
• =Baking bread
Reference: Charles's Law Examples ~ ChemistryGod

GAY-LUSSAC’S LAW: Temperature and Pressure

Are familiar with this experiment? If not, you may click

the link below the picture. You may do this at home if
you have materials. If you do not have, you can watch it
on you tube.

This experiment demonstrates this law. How?

When air is heated it expands and some of it escapes

out the bottle. When the matches go out, the air inside
the bottle cools and contracts (takes up less space), thus
creating a lower air pressure area inside the bottle than
outside. ... The air molecules on the outside of
Source: Egg in a Bottle Experiment the bottle push the egg into the bottle.
(teachingmama.org)

• Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac (1778-1850), a French chemist, pioneered in the study of the
relationship between pressure and temperature.
 Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussac, (born December 6, 1778, Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat,
France—died May 9, 1850, Paris), French chemist and physicist who pioneered
investigations into the behaviour of gases, established new techniques for analysis,
and made notable advances in applied chemistry.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Gaylussac.jpg

• He stated that:
For a given mass of gas in a container of fixed volume, the pressure is directly proportional to
the
absolute temperature (in Kelvin).
• An increase in temperature also increases the pressure of the gas, and a decrease in
temperature decreases the pressure of the gas as long as the volume and the number of moles
of the gas remain constant.
P∝T
P = kT
𝑷
=k
𝑻
• The ratio of pressure (P) to temperature (T) is the same under all conditions as long as volume
(V) and the amount (n) of gas do not change.
P1 = P2 or P1 T2 = P2 T1
T1 T2
where P1 and T1 are the initial conditions of the gas; P2 and T2 are its final conditions.
𝑷 𝑷
Based on the formula 𝑻 𝟏 = 𝑻 𝟐 , you can derive four other formulas with different
𝟏 𝟐
unknown variables and it is as follows
𝑃2 𝑇1
𝑃1 = 𝑃1 𝑇2
𝑇2 𝑃2 =
𝑇1
𝑃1 𝑇2 𝑃2 𝑇1
𝑇1 = 𝑇2 =
𝑃2 𝑃1

Sample Problem 1
A sample of gas at a pressure of 3.00 x 103 mm Hg inside a steel tank is cooled from 500.0°C
to 0.00°C. What is the final pressure of the gas inside the steel tank?
Solution:
Use the equation for Gay-Lussac’s law to derive the equation for P2
P1 = P2
T1 T2
P2 = P1 T2
T1
P2 = (3.00 X 103 mm Hg) X 273.0 K
773. 0 K
 = 1.06 X 103 mm Hg
Sample Problem 2
Aerosol cans can be dangerous when they are heated because they can explode. Suppose
a can of insecticide with a pressure of 4.0 atm at room temperature (28°C) is thrown into a fire. If
the temperature of the inside the can reaches 400°C, what will gas be its pressure? Would you
expect the can to explode if the maximum safe pressure is 8.0 atm?
Solution:
Step 1: You must change the temperature given in degrees Celsius to Kelvin.
T1= 28°C + 273 = 301 K
T2 = 400°C + 273 = 673 K
Step 2: Tabulate the given information.
Initial Condition Final Condition Change

P1 = 4.0 atm P2 =? P must increase

T1 = 301 K T2 = 673 K T increase

Step 3:
P2 = 4.0 atm X 673.0 K = 8.9 atm
301. 0 K
❖ Since the calculated pressure exceeds 8.0 atm, you can expect the insecticide can to
explode.
Let us see some applications of Gay-Lussac’s law in real life.

Are you using pressure cooker to cook

your favorite “bulalo”?
How does it work? A pressure
cooker looks like a regular pot but has
a modified lid that locks on over a
rubber gasket to create a seal.
The cooker works by raising the
temperature of boiling water, thereby
speeding up the time it takes to boil,
Source: Pressure Cooker Steam Coming out of Safety Valve - braise, or steam. ... This higher
temperature cooks food faster.
SOLUTION - Pressure Cooker Tips

Can a pressure cooker explode?

Pressure cookers have long been a time saving kitchen appliance. ... If a pressure cooker's lock,
vent, lid, seal, or gasket is faulty, the pressure cooker can explode, causing severe injury or even
death to anyone nearby.
Safety tips in Using Pressure cooker:
1. Read the label and instructions before operating a pressure
cooker.
2. Always release the pressure before opening your pressure
cooker. Never open it while it is hot or while you are boiling it to
avoid accident. Remember, prevention is better than cure.