PhET Gas Laws Simulation

Directions: You will use this interactive model

to get to know the properties of gases and the
gas laws. The intro module is basically a
sandbox where you get to play. We will be
using the Laws module.

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The scenario below will serve as our control to which we will compare every other scenario.

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Starting Starting Starting Number of Gas
Volume Temperature Pressure Particles

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(width in nm) (K) (atm)

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100 Heavy

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5.0 nm 300 K 23.3 atm (100 H)

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Relationship Effect on Effect on Effect on Effect on the
Real-life
Gas Law Math Equation between Volume Temperature Pressure Number of Gas
scenario
Variables (width in nm) (K) (atm) Particles

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V and P are Double the
Constant Constant

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Boyle’s Law P1V1 = P2V2 inversely Scuba diving volume 11.7
(300 K) (100 H)

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proportional

V and TK are
(10.0 nm)

Double the
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V1 V Constant Constant
Charles’ Law = 2 directly Hot air balloons 9.9 temperature
T K1 TK 2 (23.3 atm) (100 H)
proportional (600 K)
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Exploding cans
Amontons’s
P1 P2 P and TK are in a hot car Double the
Law Constant Constant
= directly This can be simulated temperature 46.4
(formerly Gay- T K1 TK 2 (5.0 nm) (100 H)
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by continuing to
proportional increase the (600 K)
Lussac’s Law)
temperature.
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. . . Continued . . .
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. . . Continued . . .
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Google Doc Version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0Q9TjuoXwWN5fJ0KiKUpuhfqWBc09lB8e3PzX919cE/copy

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 Relationship Effect on Effect on Effect on Effect on the
Real-life
Gas Law Math Equation between Volume Temperature Pressure Number of Gas
scenario
Variables (width in nm) (K) (atm) Particles

n 1 n2 n and V are
Blowing up a Constant Constant Double
Avogadro’s Law = directly 10
V1 V2 balloon (300 K) (23.3 atm) (200 H)
proportional

Discussion Questions:

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1) Are the gas laws affected depending on whether you use heavy gas particles or light gas particles? If anything, what is affected by the size
of the molecule? Hint: Turn on the collision counter (10 ps) and measure the control setup with heavy particles and then repeat using light

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particles.

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Light particles move faster and create more pressure.

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2) Do Charles’s Law and Amontons’s Law hold true if you double the Celsius Temperature?

yes

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3) Starting with the control setup, start the timer and quickly open the top of the chamber using the handle .

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a) How long does it take for half of the heavy particles to leave the chamber (100 → 50)?
About 67 ps

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b) How long does it take for half of the light particles to leave the chamber (100 → 50)?
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About 12 ps
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Google Doc Version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0Q9TjuoXwWN5fJ0KiKUpuhfqWBc09lB8e3PzX919cE/copy

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 c) This relationship is known as Graham’s Law of Effusion. Since both gases are at the same temperature, they must have the same
average kinetic energy (½ mv2), where m is mass and v is velocity (like speed). Since both gases have the same average kinetic
energy, you can state that ½ mLvL2 = ½ mHvH2. Multiplying both sides by 2 gives you mLvL2 = mHvH2. Rearranging the equation to get
both masses on the same side of the equation will give you mL/mH = VH2/VL2. In 3a and 3b, you probably noticed that the heavy gas
particles took twice as long to diffuse as the light gas particles. This means that the light gas particles are moving twice as fast,
VH/VL = ½. Therefore, VH2/VL2 = ¼. How many times heavier is the heavy gas compared to the light gas?
Twice as heavy

d) If the light gas was Ne, what would be a reasonable identity for the heavy gas?

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Xe

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e) You might have noticed something special about temperature, as the gas particles were escaping. If not, go back and let the gas

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particles escape while watching the temperature. What happened to the temperature of the gas, as the gas particles were escaping?

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Here’s a nice little video example of this. There are some slides in your notes and problems in your unit packet that will practice this.
The temperature drops

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4) Try changing two variables at the same time (i.e. doubling one and maybe doubling the other one). Did the 3rd variable do what you

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predicted?
No

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Conclusion: Tell me something “NU”

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New: What new modifications would you make to this activity? Be specific. You cannot say you wouldn’t make any changes. Don’t use the
words change, different, etc. If you want to use something different, give me some specific examples.
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It would have been nice if it was easier to enter in data for the simulation.
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Uncertain: What concepts from the activity are you still uncertain about? In other words, what questions do you still have after completing
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the activity? You cannot say that you are uncertain about nothing. If you have no uncertainties, then ask me a challenging
question related to the activity you wish you knew the answer to.
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I am still uncertain about some of the gas laws.

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Google Doc Version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z0Q9TjuoXwWN5fJ0KiKUpuhfqWBc09lB8e3PzX919cE/copy

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