Student Directions for Gas Properties Chemistry: Gas Laws

http://phet.colorado.edu/

Learning Goals:
• Design experiments to measure the relationships between pressure, volume, and
temperature.
• Create graphs based on predictions and observations.
• Make qualitative statements about the relationships between pressure, volume and
temperature using molecular models.

Predictions: Make a chart like the one below. Without using the simulation, sketch what you
think the graphs would look like. Note: Be sure to label your x and y axes.

I. Volume-Pressure graph Explain your reasoning for the In the simulation, I will
graph’s appearance. collect different values for
pressure and volume, for a
I believe that if the pressure in the fixed temperature and
gas is larger, then the volume must volume of container with
be lower as the space in between no external factors
molecules must be lowest for changing.
highest pressure so it should mean
that pressure and volume are
indirectly proportional
II. Volume-Temperature graph Explain your reasoning for the In the simulation, I will
graph’s appearance. collect different values for
temperature and volume,
I believe that if the temperature of for a fixed pressure and
the gas is larger, then the volume of volume of container with
the gas must be larger because as no external factors
the temperature of the gas gets changing.
higher, the kinetic energy of the
molecules gets higher which means
that the gas will expand
III. Temperature-Pressure graph Explain your reasoning for the In the simulation, I will
graph’s appearance. collect different values for
pressure and temperature,
I believe that if the temperature of for a fixed volume and
the gas is larger, then the pressure volume of container with
of the gas must be larger because no external factors
as the temperature of the gas gets changing.
higher, the kinetic energy of the
molecules gets higher which means
that the gas will expand, but since
other factors are kept constant,
volume is kept constant, therefore
the pressure inside the gas will
increase.
IV. Number of particles – Volume Explain your reasoning for the In the simulation, I will
graph’s appearance. collect different values for
number of particles and
I believe that if the number of volume, for a fixed
particles of the gas is larger, then temperature, pressure and
the volume of the gas must be volume of container with
larger because as the number of no external factors
particles of the gas gets higher, the changing.
volume of each particle adds onto
the existing volume of the gas
which causes it to expand.
Experiments:
1. For each case, I-IV. Write a short description of how to use the sim to collect
data. Then make an Excel spreadsheet for each, graph and curve fit. Some
helpful hints – if you set a parameter like temperature constant, then make a
change, you may have to watch the temperature adjust and not record your data
until the temperature is back to the original setting. These experiments would be
difficult in a real situation because it is complicated to isolate parameters like
you can in the sim. - Done in third column

2. After you have made your graphs in Excel, check your predictions, and see if any
might need some corrections. If necessary, make corrections in a different color
including corrections to your reasoning. – Done and uploaded as separate
document

3. Complete this table:

Relationship Direct or Constant Whose Law? Briefly, why according to
indirect? parameters particle model.

V vs P Indirect
Temperature, Boyle’s
Law
The relationship is
indirect because as
pressure decreases
volume increases and vice
versa as shown in the
video attached below

V vs T Direct Pressure Charle’s

Law
The relationship is direct
because as temperature
increase volume increases
and vice versa as shown
in the video attached
below

T vs P Direct Volume of
gas
Gay-
Lussac’s
The relationship is direct
because as temperature
law increase, pressure
increases and vice versa
as shown in the video
attached below

Moles Direct Temperature Avogadro’

of gas, s Law
The relationship is direct
because as number of

vs V Pressure of moles increase volume

increases and vice versa
gas as shown in the video
attached below

Videos:
 4. Using your results, explain each of the following scenarios. Make sure to refer to which
graph can be used as evidence for your answer.

a. Explain why bicycle tires seem flatter in the winter than in summer.

Since volume is directly proportional to temperature, the volume of air in bicycle

tires decrease during winter as it is, on average, colder than in summer. Therefore, a
decrease in temperature means a decrease in volume so bicycle tires seem flatter in
winter than in summer.

b. Explain why a can of soda pop explodes if left in the hot sun.

Inside a can of soda is compressed carbon dioxide. As the temperature of the can
increase the temperature of carbon dioxide also increase which causes it to expand
until a point where it can no longer contain within the can causing the can to
explode.

c. A rigid container filled with a gas is placed in ice (ex. Nalgene bottle). What will
happen to the pressure of the gas? What do you think will happen to the volume?

Since pressure is directly proportional to temperature, if the gas stored in the rigid
container has a temperature that is colder than that of the ice, the pressure will increase
as the ice will liberate heat and the gas will gain heat so the pressure it exerts will
increase. If the gas stored in the rigid container has a temperature that is hotter than that
of the ice, the pressure will decrease as the ice will gain heat and the gas will liberate
heat so the pressure it exerts will decrease. Volume will remain constant as that is the
assumption we are making to be able to tell the changes that occur with pressure. If the
volume is changed then we cannot say, for certain, what would happen to the pressure of
the gas without experimentation.

d. An infected tooth forms an abscess (area of infected tissue) that fills with gas. The
abscess puts pressure on the nerve of the tooth, causing a toothache. While waiting
to see a dentist, the person with the toothache tried to relieve the pain by treating the
infected area with moist heat. Will this treatment help? Why or why not?

This treatment will not help because volume is directly proportional to temperature so
because of the heat provided, the gases volume will expand but the external volume (size
of tooth) remains constant so the pressure applied on the tooth will be more so the pain
will worsen.

5/8/2013 Loeblein Thanks to Sarah Borenstein’s lesson on PhET Teacher’s Activity Database