The Gas Laws

Kinetic Molecular Theory

(KMT)
Kinetic Molecular Theory of gases
attempts to explain the properties of
gases such as pressure, temperature, or
volume, by looking at what they are
made up of and how they move
Kinetic Molecular Theory
(KMT)
 Kinetic refers to motion
 The energy an object has because
of its motion is called kinetic
energy
◦ Example: A ball rolling down a
hill has kinetic energy
Kinetic Molecular Theory
(KMT)
There are three main
components to kinetic theory:
1.Perfectly elastic collisions, no
energy is gained or lost when
gas molecules collide
2.Gas molecules take up no
space they are so small
3.Gas molecules are in
constant, linear, random
motion
Kinetic Molecular Theory
(KMT)
How does Kinetic Theory explain Gas
Pressure?

Gas Pressure results from fast

moving gas particles colliding with the
sides of a container

More Collisions = Higher Pressure

 Kinetic Molecular Theory
(KMT)
How does Temperature relate to Kinetic
Theory?

Temperature is a measure of the

average kinetic energy of all the particles
in a gas

Higher Energy = Higher Temperature

 Kinetic Molecular Theory
(KMT)
Through KMT, several Laws were developed to help calculate
the changes in pressure, temperature, and volume of gases.

There are 6 Basic Laws:

1. Boyle’s Law
2. Charles’ Law Combined Gas Law
3. Gay-Lussac’s Law
4. Avogadro’s Law
5. Ideal Gas Law – volume liters only
6. Dalton’s Law
 Units used to describe gas samples:
Volume Temperature Pressure
Liter (L) Kelvin ONLY Atmosphere (atm)
Milliliter (mL) Kilopascale (kPa)
Torr (torr)
1000 mL = 1L K = ºC + 273 mm of mercury (mm Hg)

1 atm = 101.3 kPa

1 atm = 760 mm Hg
1 atm = 760 torr

Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP)

Standard Temperature = 273K

Standard Pressure = 1 atm
Boyle’s Law
Boyle’s Law – at constant temperature, the
volume of the gas increases as the pressure
decreases. (and the volume of the gas decreases and
the pressure increases). They are inversely related
V↑ P↓

V
o
P1V1 = P2V2
l
u If you squeeze a
m gas sample, you
e make its volume
L smaller.

Pressure (kPa)
 Now . . . a
container where
the volume can
Moveable change (syringe)
piston
↕

Same
temperature

Volume is 100 mL at Volume is 50 mL

25°C at 25°C

In which system is the pressure higher? (Which has the greater number of
collisions with the walls and each other?)

Boyle’s Law video example

 Boyle’s Law Example
2.00 L of a gas is at 740.0 mmHg pressure. What is
its volume at 760.0 mmHg pressure?

P1V1 =
P2V2
2.00L x 740.0 mmHg = 760.0 mm Hg x V2

2.00L x 740.0 mmHg = 760.0 mm Hg x V2

760.0 mm Hg 760.0 mmHg

1.95 L = V2
 Charles’ Law
Charles’ Law – at a constant pressure, the volume
of a gas increases as the temperature of the gas
increases (and the volume decreases when the
temperature decreases). They are directly related.
• increasing the
temperature of a gas V1 = V2
V T1 T2
increases the speed of o
gas particles which l
u
collide more often and m
with more force causing e
the walls of a flexible
L
container expand.
Think of hot air
Temperature (K)
balloons!
Charles’ Law Video Example
 Charles’ Law Example:
4.40 L of a gas is collected at 50.0°C. What will be its
volume upon cooling to 25.0°C?
First you must convert temperatures from Celsius to
Kelvin. Temperature must always be in Kelvin
K = 273 + °C V1 = V2
T1 = 273 + 50.0°C = 323K
T1 T2
T2 = 273 + 25.0°C = 298K

(298K) 4.40L = V2 (298K)

1 V2 = 4.06L
323K 298K 1
 Gay-Lussac’s Law
Gay-Lussac’s Law – at a constant volume, the
pressure of a gas increases as the temperature of the gas
increases (and the pressure decreases when the
temperature decreases). They are directly related.

P1 = P2 Pressure
T1 T2 (atm)

Temperature (K)
Gay-Lussac’s Law Video Example
 Steel cylinder (2L) Steel cylinder (2L)
contains 500 contains 500
molecules of O2 at molecules of O2 at
400 K 800 K

1. In which system do the O2 molecules have the highest average kinetic

energy (temperature)? B
2. In which system will the particles collide with the container walls with the
greatest force and the most often? B
3. In which system is the pressure higher?
B
 Example: In a rigid container a gas has a pressure of 1.3 atm
at 25°C. What is the pressure of the gas if it is heated to
45°C?
First you must convert temperatures from Celsius to
Kelvin. Temperature must always be in Kelvin
K = 273 + °C
T1 = 273 + 25.0°C = 298K P1 P2
T1 T2
T2 = 273 + 45.0°C = 318K

(318K) X 1.3 atm = P2 X (318K)

1 298K 318K 1
 Unit Conversions Practice
Convert 56.0 mL to L = .056L

Convert 65.6 g H2O to moles H2O

65.6g 1mole H2O = 3.64 mole H2O
1 18.02 g
Convert 788 torr to atm
1 atm
788 torr = 1.04 atm
1 760 torr
 Combined Gas Law
A combination of Boyle’s, Charles’, and Gay-Lussac’s Laws

P1V1 = P2V2
T1 T2

Note that all temperatures must be in

Kelvin!
 Example:

A gas occupies 2.0 L at 2.5 atm and 25ºC. What is it’s

volume if the temperature is increased to 33ºC and the
pressure is decreased to 1.5 atm?

P 1V 1 P 2V 2
T1 T2
P1 = 2.5 atm P2 = 1.5 atm
V1 = 2.0L V2 = ?
T1 = 25 + 273 = 298K T2 = 33 + 273 = 306K

(2.5 atm)(2.0L) (306K) = V2

(298K) (1.5 tm) V2 = 3.4 L
Example:

A gas occupies 4.5 L at 1.3 atm and 35ºC. What is the

final temperature if the final volume of the gas is 3.2 L
with a pressure of 1.5 atm?
P 1V 1 = P 2V 2
T1 T2
P1 = 1.3 atm P2 = 1.5 atm
V1 = 4.5L V2 = 3.2L
T1 = 35 + 273 = 308K T2 = ?K
(1.3 atm)(4.5L) = (1.5atm)(3.2L)
(308k) T2
(1.5 atm)(3.2L) (308K) = T2
(4.5L) (1.3 atm) T2 = 250K
What is STP?
STP is the abbreviation for
standard temperature and
pressure.
Standard temperature is 273K
Standard pressure is 1 atm
You must memorize the
meaning of STP.
Avogadro’s Law (Hypothesis pg
320)
Avogadro’s Law – equal volumes of gases
at the same temperature and pressure
contain equal numbers of molecules.
H2 O2 CO2

1 mole of ANY gas takes up a volume of

22.4 L at STP. This is called Molar Volume
22.4L = 1 mole of gas at STP
Memorize this!
 Avogadro’s Law:
One mole of ANY gas takes up a volume of
22.4 L at STP.

So how many molecules of any gas are there in

22.4 L at STP?
One mole which is 6.022 x 1023
 Avogadro’s Law:
At STP, 1.0 L of Helium gas contains the
same number of atoms as:

A. 2.0 L of Kr
B. 1.0 L of Ne
C. 0.5 L of Rn
D. 1.5 L of Ar
volumes
Therefore equal _______________ of gas
atoms
contain equal numbers of __________ or
______________________.
molecules
Ideal Gases
• Gases whose behavior can be predicted by the kinetic
molecular theory are called ideal, or perfect, gases. No
gases are truly ideal because no gas totally obeys all of
the gas laws.

• An ideal gas is an imaginary gas that is perfect and

does follow everything perfectly.

•We assume that all gases behave like ideal gases so

there is an ideal gas law
◦ There are no intermolecular forces between the gas
molecules.
◦ The volume occupied by the molecules themselves is
entirely negligible relative to the volume of the
container.
Ideal Gas Law
PV = nRT
P = pressure in atmospheres (atm)
V = volume in Liters (L)
n = # of moles
T = temperature in Kelvin (K)
R =.08206 L·atm/mol·K
Ideal Gas Law Example:
How many moles of oxygen will occupy a
volume of 2.50 L at 1.20 atm and 25°C?

PV = nRT

n = PV
RT
n = (1.20)(2.50)
(.08206) (298K)

n = .123 moles of oxygen

Ideal Gas Law Example:

What volume will 12.4 grams of O2 gas occupy at

756 torr and 17°C?
V = nRT
PV = nRT P
P = 756 torr X 1 atm P = .995 atm
1 760.0 torr

n = 12.4g x 1 mol n = .388 mol

1 32.00g
V = (.388)(.08206) (290K) V = 9.28L
.995 atm
What is STP? STP stands for standard temperature and
pressure. Standard temperature is always 273K. Standard
pressure is always 1.00 atm.
Examples using STP:
At 1.80 atm of pressure and 30.0 °C temperature, a gas
occupies a volume of 65.5 mL. What will be the volume of the
same gas at STP?

Which gas law should we use? P 1V 1 = P 2V 2

Combined Gas Law T1 T2
(1.80 atm) (65.5 mL) = (1.00 atm) V2
(303K) 273K
(1.80 atm) (65.5 mL) (273K) = V2
(303K) (1.00 atm)
V2 = 106 mL
 One More Law!!
Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures -
In a mixture of gases, each gas exerts a certain pressure
as if it were alone. The pressure of each one of these
gases is called the partial pressure. The total pressure of
a mixture of gases is the sum of all of the partial
pressures.
Ptotal = P1 + P2 + P3 …….

Pair = PO + PN2 + Par + PH O + PCO2

2 2
 Example:

What is the total pressure of a mixture of gases

made up of CO2, O2, and H2 if the partial
pressures are 22.3 kPa, 44.7 kPa, and 112
kPa, respectively?

Ptotal = P1 + P2 + P3
PTOTAL = 22.3kPa + 44.7 kPa + 112 kPa =

PTOTAL = 179 kPa

 Gas Stoichiometry
Example 1: One mole of any gas at STP occupies a
22.4
volume of ___________ L.
How do you write this as a conversion factor?
22.4 L OR 1 mol
1mol 22.4L
For the following reaction:
N2(g) +3H2 (g) 2NH3(g)

What volume of nitrogen gas at STP would be required to

react with excess hydrogen gas to produce .830L of NH 3
in the reaction above?

.830L NH3 1 mol NH3 1 mol N2 22.4 L N2

= .415L N2
1 22.4 L NH3 2 mol NH3 1 mol N2
 Gas Stoichiometry
N2(g) +3H2 (g) 2NH3(g)
?L 0.100g

What volume of nitrogen gas at STP would be required to react with

0.100 grams of hydrogen gas in the reaction above? (Make sure
the chemical equation is balanced)

0.100 g H2 1 mol H2 1 mol N2 22.4 L N2

1 2.02 g H2 3 mol H2 1 mol N2

= .370 L N2
END