COMBINED GAS LAW

The Combined Gas L aw combines the three gas laws: Boyle's Law, Charles' Law, and Gay-
Lussac's Law.
Unlike the named gas laws, the combined gas law doesn't have an official discoverer. It is simply
a combination of the other gas laws that works when everything except temperature, pressure,
and volume are held constant.

Combined Gas Law states that “ The pressure and volume of a gas is inversely proportional to
each other, but are both directly proportional to the temperature of the gas”.

Or “ The ratio of the product of pressure and volume and the absolute temperature of a gas is
equal to a constant”.

The simplest mathematical formula for the combined gas law is:

PV/T = K

In words, the product of pressure multiplied by volume and divided by temperature is a

constant.

The constant K in the equation is known as the universal gas constant. It is the result of the
combination of the proportionality constant in the three gas laws.

However, the law is usually used to compare before/after conditions. The combined gas law is
expressed as:

P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2

where:

 P1 = initial pressure (atm)

 V1 = initial volume ( ml, L)
 T1 = initial absolute temperature (K)
 P2 = final pressure (atm)
 V2 = final volume (ml, L)
 T2 = final absolute temperature (K)

For convenience in the application of gas laws, it is necessary to choose STANDARD

TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE (STP) as reference points. By international agreement, Standard
Temperature and Pressure is 0OC (273 K) and 1 atm. It is extremely important to remember
that the temperatures are absolute temperatures measured in Kelvin, NOT °C . These
are the conditions under which the volume of gas is measured in the laboratory.

To solve for P1 To solve for V1 To solve for T1

P1V1 = P2V2 P1V1 = P2V2
P1V1 = P2V2 T1 T2 T1 T2
T1 T2 V1= P2V2 T1 T1 = P1V1 T2
P1 = P2V2 T1 P1 T2 P2V2
V1 T2
To solve for P2 To solve for V2 To solve for T2
P1V1 = P2V2 P1V1 = P2V2 P1V1 = P2V2
T1 T2 T1 T2 T1 T2
V2 = P1V1 T2 T2 = P2V2 T1
P2= P1V1 T2 P 2 T1 P1V1
V2T1
Note: Pressure Units and their Equivalent
 1 atm = 760 mmHg (millimetre of mercury)
= 760 torr
= 101,325 Pa (Pascal)
= 101.3 kPa (kilo Pascal)
= 14.7 psi (pound per square inch)

Sample Problems:
1. A 350 ml sample of Argon Gas is 2. A sample of nitrogen gas occupies a
collected at 295 K and 99.3 kPa. What volume of 2.00 L at 756 mmHg and 0OC.
volume would this gas occupy at STP? The volume increases by 2.00 L and the
STP means standard temperature and temperature decreases to 137 K. What
pressure (273K and 1 atm is the final pressure exerted on the gas?
respectively ).
Given:
Given: V1 = 2.00 L
V1 = 350 ml P1 = 756 mmHg
T1 = 295 K T1 = 0OC
P1 = 99.3 kPa V2 = 2.00 L + 2.00 L = 4.00L
T2 = 273 K T2 = 137 K
P2 = 1 atm
Find: P2
Find: V2 Solution:
Step 1- Convert P1 = 756 mmHg ---- atm
Solution:
Step 1 – Convert P1 = 99.3 kPa---- atm P1 = 756 mmHg x 1 atm
760 mmHg
P1 = 99.3 kPa X 1 atm = 756 atm
101.3 kPa 760
= 99.3 atm P1 = 0.99 atm
101.3
P1 = 0.98 atm Step 2 – Convert T1 = 0OC ----- K
K = (OC + 273 )
Step 2- Solve for the unknown = 0 + 273
K = 273
P1V1 = P2V2
T1 T2 Step 3 – Solve for the unknown
V2 = P1V1 T2
P 2 T1 P1V1 = P2V2
= (0.98 atm) ( 350 ml) (273 K) T1 T2
(1 atm) ( 295 K )
= 93,639 ml
295 P2 = P1V1 T2
V2 = 317.42 ml V2T1
= (0.99 atm) (2.00 L) ( 137 K)
(4.00 L ) ( 273K)
= 271.26 atm
1,092
P2 = 0.25 atm

ACTIVITY NO. 6
COMBINED GAS LAW
Directions: Solve for the unknown in the given problems. Write your solution on a
1 whole sheet of paper.

1. Helium gas has a volume of 250 ml at 0OC at 1.0 atm. What will be the final
pressure if the volume is reduced to 100 ml at 45 OC?

2. The volume of a gas at 27 OC and 700.0 mmHg is 600.0 ml. What is the
volume of the gas at -20 OC and 500 mmHg?

3. A 2.5 L nitrogen gas exerts a pressure of 760 mmHg at 473 K.. What
temperature is needed to reduce the volume to 1.75 L at 1140 torr?

4. The Oxygen tank manufacturer used to produce 5.0L oxygen tanks at

2000psi and 25 OC. Statistics suggests that the 3.0 L oxygen tank at 1500 psi
is more marketable. What temperature requirement is needed to produce
a 3.0 L oxygen tank at 1500 psi?

Note: If P1 and P2 have the same unit you don’t need to convert them in atm. Convert P 1 and
P2 to atm only if they have different units.

Pm your answer together with your picture while answering the activity. No picture of yourself
minus 20 points.