GAS LAWS

One of the reasons why the earth is the only living planet in the entire solar system is because of the
conduciveness of its atmosphere. We live in a world that is surrounded by gases. The lives of organisms including
humans assume genuinely from the air we breathe on and the kind of weather in everyday living.

When compared to other states of matter, gases are made up of molecules that are very far apart. Molecules of
gas move freely and do not apply force on each other except when these molecules collide. The bigger spaces between
the molecules of gases the hugely they can be compressed in a vessel.

Movements of molecules in a gas are faster than in liquids and solids. The behavior of gases is the bases for
why gas laws are formulated, namely: Boyle’s law, Charles's Law, Gay-Lussac’s law, Avogadro’s law, Combined gas
law, and Ideal gas law.

Scientists have discovered that pressure, volume, and temperature are related. Here are the different variables
crucial in the formulas of Gas Laws.

1. VOLUME: liter (L)

amount of space filled by gases
Conversion: 1 L = 1000 mL

2. TEMPERATURE: degree Kelvin (ºK)

measures the degree of hotness and coldness of gases
Conversion: ºK = ºC + 273.15
5
Conversion: ºK = (ºF – 32) x + 273.15
9

3. PRESSURE: atm
the force exerted by the molecules of gas per unit area
Conversion: 1 atm = 760 mmHg = 760 torr

4. AMOUNT (n): mole (mol)

Conversion: 1 mole of chemical = MW in g (gram)of chemical

Do not forget to convert volume into Liters (L), pressure in atmospheres (atm), amount in moles (mol), and
temperature in degrees Kelvin (ºK) in order to cancel units needed to be canceled.

Boyle’s Law | The Pressure – Volume Law

Robert Boyle (1627-1691).
An English physicist and philosopher formulated the law relating the volume to the pressure of a gas at a constant
temperature.

Boyle’s Law is expressed in this equation: P1V1 = P2V2

where: P1 and V1 – refer to the initial pressure and volume of gases,
P2 and V2 – refer to the final pressure and final volume of the gases after the change.

Sample Problem 1: The volume filled by a given amount of oxygen gas at 1 atmosphere is 8 liters. Calculate the volume
of this gas if its pressure is increased to 3 atmospheres.
Given:
P1 = 1 atm P2 = 3 atm
V1 = 8 L V2 =?

Derive an equation.
1. Write the unknown variable on the left side.
2. The variable next to the unknown variable will be your denominator.
3. The remaining two variables will be multiplied and will be your numerator.
𝑷 𝑽 𝟏 𝒂𝒕𝒎 (𝟖𝑳)
V2 = 𝟏 𝟏 V2 = = 𝟐. 𝟕𝑳
𝑷𝟐 𝟑𝒂𝒕𝒎
Note: Cancel atm.
Sample Problem 2: A gas, at a constant temperature, occupies a volume of 1.5 liters (L) at 1 atm. Determine the pressure
of this gas when its volume reduces to 750 milliliters (mL).
𝟏 𝒂𝒕𝒎 (𝟏.𝟓𝑳)
P2 = = 𝟐 𝒂𝒕𝒎 Note: You have to convert 750 mL to L.
𝟎.𝟕𝟓𝑳

At a constant temperature, the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to its pressure.

Charles’ Law | The Temperature – Volume Law Jacques Charles (1746 - 1823).
𝑽 𝑽
The relationship for Charles’s law can be expressed as: 𝟏 = 𝟐
𝑻𝟏 𝑻𝟐
where: V1 and T1 – refers to the initial volume and temperature of gases
V2 and T2 – refer to the final volume and final temperature of gases

Sample Problem 1: A 7 – liter hydrogen gas at 23 ° C is confined in a container at constant pressure. Compute the volume
of this gas if the temperature increases to 32 º C. Applying Charles's law, let us solve this problem.

Given: V1 = 7 L, V2 =? T1 = 23 ºC, T2 = 32 ºC
Note: Convert ºC to ºK using the formula: ºK = ºC + 273.15

Conversion: T1 = 23 ºC + 273.15 = 296.15 ºK T2 = 32 ºC + 273.15 = 305.15 ºK

Then, derive an equation using Charles law:
1. Write the unknown variable on the left side.
2. The variable diagonal to the unknown variable will be your denominator.
3. The remaining two variables will be multiplied and will be your numerator.

𝑽𝟏 𝑻𝟐
V2 =
𝑻𝟏
Substituting:
𝟕𝑳 ( 𝟑𝟎𝟓.𝟏𝟓 º 𝐊 )
V2 = = 𝟕. 𝟐𝟏𝑳
𝟐𝟗𝟔.𝟏𝟓 º 𝐊

Sample Problem 2: A vessel contains 5 L of Neon gas at 2900 K. Compute the volume of the vessel when its temperature
increases to 3000 K at constant pressure.

𝑽𝟏 𝑻𝟐
V2 =
𝑻𝟏
𝟓𝑳 ( 𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟎 º 𝐊 )
V2 = = 𝟓. 𝟏𝟕𝑳
𝟐𝟗𝟎𝟎 º 𝐊

Charles’ law states that as temperature increases, the volume also increases at constant pressure.

Gay – Lussac’s Law the Pressure – Temperature Law

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac’s Law (1778 -1850) discovered in 1802 that if you keep the volume and a gas constant
(such as in a closed container), the pressure of a gas increases when heat is applied. Gay-Lussac’s law explains the
existing relationship between the pressure and temperature of gases at constant volume.

Gay – Lussac’s law is expressed in this equation as follows:

𝑷 𝟏 𝑷𝟐
=
𝑻𝟏 𝑻𝟐

where: P1 and T1 – refers to the initial pressure and initial temperature of gases
P2 and T2 – refer to the final pressure and final temperature of gases

Sample Problem 1: Calculate the change in pressure of nitrogen gas when a constant volume at 1 atmospheric
pressure is heated from 25 º C to 35 º C.

Convert º C to º K.
Given:
P1 = 1 atm
P2 =?
T1 = 25 ºC + 273.15 = 298.15 ºK
T2 = 35 ºC + 273.15 = 308.15 ºK
Applying Gay – Lussac’s law
Derive an equation then substitute the given data.
1. Write the unknown variable on the left side.
2. The variable diagonal to the unknown variable will be your denominator.
3. The remaining two variables will be multiplied and will be your numerator.

𝑷𝟏 𝑻𝟐
P2 =
𝑻𝟏
Substituting:
𝟏𝒂𝒕𝒎 ( 𝟑𝟎𝟖.𝟏𝟓 º 𝐊 )
P2 = = 𝟏. 𝟎𝟑𝒂𝒕𝒎
𝟐𝟗𝟖.𝟏𝟓 º 𝐊

As the temperature increases at constant volume, pressure also increases and that’s all about Gay – Lussac’s
law.

Avogadro’s Law | The Volume – Amount Law

Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro (1776-1856)
He explained the existing relationship between volume and amount of gas. Through his experiment, he quantifies the
amount of gas through its mass.
𝑽 𝟏 𝑽𝟐
=
𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟐

where: V1 and n1 – refers to the initial volume (L) and amount of gases in mole
V2 and n2 – refers to the final volume and final amount of gases.

Sample Problem: A fluorine gas occupies 4 liters with 7 moles present in it. Determine the change in volume if the
amount of gas is increased to 14 moles.

Given: V1 = 4L, V2 =, n1 = 7mol, n2 = 14mol

Derived equation:

𝑽𝟏 𝒏 𝟐
V2 =
𝒏𝟏
𝟒𝑳 ( 𝟏𝟒𝐦𝐨𝐥)
V2 = = 𝟖𝒎𝒐𝒍
𝟕𝐦𝐨𝐥

Avogadro's Law states that the volume of a gas is directly proportional to the number of moles (or number of
particles) of gas when the temperature and pressure are held constant.