Kinetic Theory –

Gas Laws
 Kinetic Theory – Gas Laws
Topics
• Kinetic Theory Assumptions
• The Gas Laws
• The Ideal Gas Equation
• Real vs Ideal Gases
 Kinetic Theory
Assumptions
• The kinetic theory of gases states that:
– Gas particles are moving randomly
– Gas particles do not attract each other
– Gas particles have no volume (i.e. their volume is negligible
compared to the volume of the container that they are in)
– Collisions between gas particles are elastic (i.e. no energy is
lost when the particles collide)
 Kinetic Theory
The Gas Laws
• Gas particles can be pictured as a collection
of randomly moving particles that are
continuously colliding with each other and
with the walls of the container in which
they are placed
• When the gas particles hit the wall of the
container, they exert a pressure:
Force[N]
Pressure[Nm -2 ] 
Area[m2 ]
• Pressure is measured in Newtons per square
metre [Nm-2] or in Pascals [Pa] Pressure is felt at
1Nm -2  1Pa walls of container

• Standard atmospheric pressure is 101 325 Pa,

often rounded down to 101 000 Pa
 Kinetic Theory
Boyle’s Law
• At constant temperature, if the volume of a gas is decreased
(i.e. the gas is compressed), the molecules hit the walls of
the container more frequently; thus, the pressure increases
•
 Kinetic Theory
Boyle’s Law
• Boyle’s law states: For a fixed number of moles of a gas at a
fixed temperature, the volume of the gas is inversely
proportional to its pressure
• 1
P
• V 1
• P  constant 
V
• PV  constant
• or
P1V1  P2 V2
• i.e. initial P x V = final P x V

Boyle’s law is obeyed as long as the temperature is not too

low or the pressure too high
 Kinetic Theory
Boyle’s Law
• A plot can also be made of PV vs P or PV vs V.
• These plots display a horizontal straight line with gradient = 0
since PV = a constant
 Kinetic Theory
Boyle’s Law – Worked Example
●
Problem:
A volume of air occupying 12.0 dm3 at 98.9 kPa is compressed to a
pressure of 119.0 kPa. The temperature remains constant. What is the
new volume?
●
Solution:
First, identify initial and final values, and
ensure that all data is in compatible units:
V 1 =12.0 dm 3
P 1=98.9 kPa
P 2 =119.0 kPa
V 2 =?
Then, substitute into the Boyle's Law equation:
P 1 V 1=P 2 V 2
P 1 V 1 98.9 kPa×12.0 dm3 3
V 2= = =9.73 dm
P2 119.0 kPa
 Kinetic Theory
Charles’ Law
• At constant pressure, if the temperature of a gas is increased
(i.e. the gas is heated), the molecules move faster and hit the
walls of the container with greater force. To keep the
pressure constant the particles must move further apart
thus, the volume increases
 Kinetic Theory
Charles’ Law
• Charles’ law states: For a fixed number of moles of a gas at a
constant pressure, the volume of the gas is directly
proportional to its absolute (kelvin) temperature
VT
V  constant  T
V
 constant
T or
V1 V2

T1 T2
initial V final V
i.e. 
initial T[K] final T[K]
 Kinetic Theory
Charles’ Law – Worked Example
Problem:
●
The total volume of oxygen that can be obtained from a particular
tank at 1.00 atm and 21 C is 785 L. What would be this volume of
oxygen if the temperature had been 28 C?
Solution:
● First, identify initial and final values, and ● Then, substitute into the
ensure that all data is in compatible units Charles' Law equation:
– including must convert temps to Kelvin: V1 V 2
V 1 =785 L =
T1 T2
o
T 1 =21 C =(21+273) K =294 K V1T 2
V 2 =? V 2=
T1
o
T 2=28 C=(28+273) K =301 K 785 L×301 K
.=
294 K
.=804 L
 Kinetic Theory
The Combined Gas Law
• Boyle’s Law & Charles’ Law can be combined to give one
combined gas law:

P1V1 P2 V2

T1 T2

where P1, V1, and T1 are the initial pressure, volume, and
temperature of the gas, and P2, V2, and T2 are the final
pressure, volume, and temperatures of the gas respectively

• This law is used when both the temperature & pressure

change
 Kinetic Theory
The Combined Gas Law – Worked Example
Problem:
●
A weather balloon has a volume of 60.0 dm3. It is released at sea level at
101 kPa and 23 C. The balloon can expand to a maximum volume of 860
dm3. It rises to an altitude at which the temperature is –5 C and the
pressure is 6.70 kPa. Does it reach its maximum volume?
Solution:
● Then, substitute into the
● First, identify initial and final values, and
ensure that all data is in compatible units Combined Gas Law equation:
– including must convert temps to Kelvin: P1V 1 P2 V 2
V 1 =60.0 dm3 =
T1 T2
P 1=101 kPa P1V 1 T 2
T 1 =23o C =(23+273) K =296 K V 2=
T1 P2
T 2=−5o C=(−5+273) K =268 K 3
101 kPa×60.0 dm ×268 K
.=
P 2 =6.70 kPa 296 K ×6.70 kPa
V 2 =? .=819 dm3 <860 dm3 No ,it does not.
 Kinetic Theory
The Ideal Gas Equation
• Another way of combining Boyle’s law and Charles’ law is in
the form:
PV
 constant
T
• It has been determined that the constant = nR,
where n is the number of moles of gas, and R is the
molar gas constant (= 8.31 JK-1mol-1)
• The overall equation expressed in this form is known as the
ideal gas equation: PV  nRT
where
– P is the pressure in Pascals, Pa
– V is the volume in cubic metres [1 m3 = 1000 dm3]
– n is the number of moles of gas
– R is the gas constant, 8.31 J K-1 mol-1
– T is the absolute temperature in K
 Kinetic Theory
The Ideal Gas Equation

PV  nRT
• Given any four of the variables P, V, n, T, the ideal gas equation can
be used to determine the other unknown variable

• Also, since mass in grams [m]

n
molar mass [M]
the ideal gas equation can also be written in the form:
mRT
PV 
M
• In this form, the equation can be used to determine the molar
masses of different gases
 Kinetic Theory
Ideal Gas Equation – Worked Example:
Relative Molecular Mass
Problem:
●
A flask of volume 2.00 dm3 contains 3.61 g of a gas. The pressure
in the flask is 100 kPa and the temperature is 20C. Calculate the
relative molecular mass of the gas. (R = 8.31 J K-1 mol-1)

Solution:
●
First, convert all data into compatible units – normally SI units:
P=100 kPa=100×103 Pa=100 000 Pa Note :
V =2.00 dm 3=(2.00/1000)m3=2.00×10−3 m3 1 m=10 dm
3 3 3
T =20 o C =(20+273) K =293 K 1 m =(10 dm) =1000 dm
 Kinetic Theory
Ideal Gas Equation – Worked Example:
Relative Molecular Mass
●
Then, substitute into the ideal gas equation:
PV =nRT
m
PV = RT
M
mRT
M=
PV
−1 −1
3.61 g×8.31 J K mol ×293 K
.= −3 3
100 000 Pa×2.00×10 m
.=43.9 g mol −1≈44 g mol −1

Thus , relative molecular mass=44

 Kinetic Theory
Real vs Ideal Gases
• The ideal gas equation, and all of the previous gas laws, only apply
to gases that approach near ideal conditions similar to those stated
in the kinetic theory.
• Real gases do not obey the gas laws at high pressures and low
temperatures. At very high pressures and low temperatures:
– The particles are closer together
– So, the volume of the particles is not negligible compared with
the volume of the container that they are in.
– The foces of attraction betweeen the particles cannot be
ignored.
– Attractive forces between the particles pull them together
– The pressure is lower than expected for an ideal gas, and the
effective volume of the gas is lower than expected
– At extremely low temperatures and high pressures the particles
may be so close to one another that repulsive forces between
electron clouds also cause deviations from ideal gas behaviour
 Kinetic Theory
Real vs Ideal Gases