Kinetic Molecular

Theory and
Gas Laws
• Kinetic Molecular Theory states that gas
particles are in constant motion and
exhibit perfectly elastic collisions.

• The average kinetic energy of a collection

of gas particles is directly proportional to
absolute temperature only.
 Basic Assumptions of the
Kinetic Molecular Theory
1. The volume occupied by the individual particles of a gas is
negligible compared to the volume of the gas itself.

2. The particles of an ideal gas exert no attractive forces on each

other or on their surroundings.

3. Gas particles are in a constant state of random motion and

move in straight lines until they collide with another body.

4. The collisions exhibited by gas particles are completely elastic; when

two molecules collide, total kinetic energy is conserved.

5. The average kinetic energy of gas molecules is directly proportional

to absolute temperature only; this implies that all molecular motion
ceases if the temperature is reduced to absolute zero.
GAS LAWS
 Boyle’s Law
At constant temperature, the absolute
pressure and volume of a given mass
of confined gas are inversely
proportional. This relationship is
shown by the following equation:

P1V1 = P2V2
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 x 400 kPa = 133.33 kPa
3L
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.
 Charles’ Law
•  
At constant pressure, the volume of a
gas increases or decreases by the same
factor as its temperature. This can be
written as:
Exercise 1
A gas occupies a volume of 400cm3  at 0°C and 780
mm Hg. What volume (in litres) will it occupy at
80°C and 780 mm Hg?

Given:
V1= 400 cm³ 
V2 =?
T1= 0°C= 0+273 = 273 K
T2= 80°C= 80+273 = 353 K

Here the pressure is constant and only the

temperature is changed.
Using Charles Law,  
400cm x 353 K = V2 x 273 K
V2 = 400 cm × 353 K
273 K
V2 = 517.21cm3
 
1 cubic centimeter = 0.001 litre = 1 x 103 litre

∴ 517.21 cubic centimeter = 517.21 x 10-3 = 0.517

litres
Exercise 2
Find the initial volume of a gas at 150 K, if the final
volume is 6 L at 100 K

Given:
V1=? 
V2 =6 L
T1= 150 K
T2= 100 K
Using Charles Law,  
(V1)(T2) = (V2)(T1)
(V1)(100 K) = (6 L)(150 K)
  1 = 6 L × 150 K
V
100 K

∴ V1 = 9 L
 Gay-Lussac's Law
The pressure exerted by a gas (of a given mass
and kept at a constant volume) varies directly
with the absolute temperature of the gas. In
other words, the pressure exerted by a gas is
proportional to the temperature of the gas when
the mass is fixed and the volume is constant. This
formula can be expressed as follows:

 
𝐏 𝟏 𝐏𝟐
=
𝐓𝟏 𝐓 𝟐
Exercise 1
A 20 L cylinder containing 6 atm of gas at 27
°C. What would the pressure of the gas be if
the gas was heated to 77 °C?
The cylinder's volume remains unchanged while
the gas is heated so Gay-Lussac's gas
law applies. Gay-Lussac's gas law can be
expressed as
 P P2
1
=
T1 T 2
where
P1 and T1 are the initial pressure and absolute
temperatures
P2 and T2 are the final pressure and absolute
temperature
First, convert the temperatures to absolute
temperatures.

T  = 27 °C = 27 + 273 K = 300 K
1

T2 = 77 °C = 77 + 273 K = 350 K

Use these values in Gay-Lussac's equation and solve for

P2.
 

The pressure will increase to 7 atm after heating the gas

from 27 °C to 77 °C.
Exercise 2
Find the temperature in Celsius needed to
change the pressure of 10.0 liters of a gas
that has a pressure of 97.0 kPa at 25°C to
standard pressure. Standard pressure is
101.325 kPa.
First convert 25°C to Kelvin (298K).

Insert the numbers into the equation to get:

 
solving for T2:

Subtract 273 to get the answer in Celsius.

T2 = 38.3°C
The Combined Gas Law
•  
A law used to describe the behavior of a
constant amount of gas when pressure,
volume and/or temperature is allowed to
change.  The combined gas law is a
combination of Boyle's and Charles law. The
combined gas law is used when keeping
either temperature or pressure constant
becomes difficult. This can be written as:
Exercise 1
Find the volume of a gas at STP when 2.00
liters is collected at 745.0 mm Hg and 25.0
degrees Celsius.
Given:
P1 = 745.0 mm Hg
V1 = 2.00 L
T1 = 298 K
P2 = 760.0 mm Hg
V2 = x (the unknown you're solving for)
T2 = 273 K

Next, take the formula and set it up to solve for the

unknown "x," which in this problem is V2:
 P V P2 V 2
1 1
=
T1 T2
Cross-multiply to clear the fractions:
P1V1T2 = P2V2T1

Divide to isolate V2:
  P1 V 1 𝑇 2
𝑉 2=
𝑃2T 1

Plug in the numbers and solve for V2:

  745.0  mm   Hg  · 2.00  L  · 273  K
𝑉 2= =1.796 𝐿 ≈ 1.80 𝐿
760  mm   Hg  · 298  K
 Avogadro's Law 
•  
Avogadro's law states that "equal volumes of
all gases, at the same temperature and
pressure, have the same number of
molecules."
Implications of Avogadro's Law
• The molar volume of all ideal gases at 0°C and 1 atm
pressure is 22.4 liters. 
• If pressure and temperature of a gas are constant, when
the amount of gas increases, the volume increases.
• If pressure and temperature of a gas are constant, when
the amount of gas decreases, the volume decreases.
• You prove Avogadro's Law every time you blow up a
balloon
Exercise 1
Say you have 5.00 L of a gas which contains
0.965 mol of molecules. What will be the
new volume of the gas if the quantity is
increased to 1.80 mol, assuming pressure
and temperature are held constant?
Select the appropriate form of the law for the
calculation. In this case, a good choice is:
 𝐕 𝐕𝟐
𝟏
= →𝑽 𝟏 𝒏𝟐 =𝑽 𝟐 𝒏𝟏
𝐧𝟏 𝐧 𝟐
(𝟓 .𝟎𝟎 𝐋)(𝟏 .𝟖𝟎 𝐦𝐨𝐥)=𝐕 𝟐 (𝟎 . 𝟗𝟔𝟓 𝐦𝐨𝐥)
 

 
Rewriting to solve for V2 give you:

𝐕 𝟐=(𝟓 . 𝟎𝟎 𝐋) ¿ ¿
 

  𝐕 𝟐 = 𝟗 . 𝟑𝟑 𝐋
 Ideal Gas Equation 
If we combine the results of all the above gas laws
 we get an equation that holds true for an ideal gas.
Thus, the Ideal Gas Equation is given as:
PV = nRT

where P = pressure of the gas; 

V = volume of the gas; 
n = Number of Moles; 
T = Absolute temperature;
R = Ideal Gas constant also known as Boltzmann Constant =
0.082057 L atm K-1 mol-1
Exercise 1
6.2 liters of an ideal gas is contained at 3.0
atm and 37 °C. How many moles of this gas
are present?
The ideal gas law states
PV = nRT

Because the units of the gas constant are given using

atmospheres, moles, and Kelvin, it's important to make
sure you convert values given in other temperature or
pressure scales. For this problem, convert °C temperature
to K using the equation:

T = °C + 273
T = 37 °C + 273
T = 310 K
Now, you can plug in the values. Solve 
ideal gas law for the number of moles