3.99 Gas Laws
3.99 Gas Laws
Table of Contents
Building on…..
Boyle’s law
Charles’ law Pressure-gas pressure and
Relationship between celcius and absolute scale atmospheric pressure
Assumptions of gas laws Thermal Expansion –
Expansion of gases
Revision Exercise
Gas Laws in Chemistry
form 3.
Arriving at……
Specific Objectives The Gas Laws – stating,
By the end of this topic, the learner should be able to: and explaining how the
a) state the gas laws for an ideal gas laws can be verified.
b) verify experimentally the gas laws Working out calculations
c) explain how the absolute zero temperature may be on gas laws
obtained from the pressure - temperature and Explaining the gas laws in
volume - temperature graphs terms of the kinetic theory
d) state the basic assumptions of the kinetic theory of and the basic assumptions
gases of the ideal gas.
e) explain the gas laws using the kinetic theory of gases
f) solve numerical problems involving gas laws. Looking forward to….
Content
1. Boyles law, Charles’ law, pressure law, absolute zero
2. Kelvin scale of temperature
1
3. Gas laws and kinetic theory of gases (P= not required)
ρ
PV
4. Problems on gas laws [including = constant]
T
2 Thermodynamics
GAS LAWS
An inflated balloon may burst when it gets warmer. The gas trapped inside the
balloon is subject to changes in pressure, volume and temperature.
To explain why the balloon may burst, the relationships between these
changes are investigated and they constitute what are termed as gas laws.
Boyle’s Law
Boyle’s law states that the pressure of a fixed mass of a gas is inversely
proportional to its volume, provided the temperature is kept constant.
Stated in symbols;
Pα
1 1
, or P = k ×
V V
So, PV = constant
The sketches below show the relationship between pressure P and volume V of
a fixed mass of gas.
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 3
Example 1
4 Thermodynamics
Example 2
3
The volume V of a gas at pressure P is reduced to V without change of
8
temperature. Determine the new pressure of the gas.
Solution
PV = constant
Example 3
A column of air 26 cm long is trapped by mercury thread 5 cm long as
shown in (a). When the tube is inverted as
in (b), the air column becomes 30 cm long.
Determine the value of atmospheric
pressure.
Solution
In (a), gas pressure = atm pressure+ hρg.
In (b), gas pressure = atm. pressure – hρg,
where ρ is the density of mercury.
From Boyle’s law;
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 5
P1V1 = P2V2
Let the atmospheric pressure be height ‘x’ of mercury.
So, (x + 5) 0.26 = (x – 5) 0.30
0.26x + 1.30 = 0.3x – 1.5
2.8 = 0.04x
∴x=
2.8
= 70 cm
0.04
Charles’ Law
Charles law relates the volume of a gas with its absolute (or Kelvin)
temperature.
Charles’ law states that the volume of a fixed mass of gas is directly
proportional to its absolute temperature if the pressure is kept
constant.
This formula is
In symbols, Charles’ law can be stated as follows;only applicable
V α T or V = kT, where k is a constant. when T is
expressed in
V1 V2
Hence, = = constant
T 1 T2
Experiment to verify Charles law
The set-up below can be used to show how temperature affects volume of a
given mass of a gas at constant pressure.
The flask is grasped firmly and the water index
observed.
The water index rises higher when the flask is
held and falls when the hands are withdrawn,
showing that the volume of gas increases
when its temperature is raised.
This temperature, –273°C, at which the volume, pressure of the gas and kinetic
energy of the particles are assumed to be zero is ideally the lowest temperature
a gas can attain and therefore called
absolute zero.
A plot of volume against absolute
temperature gives a straight line through
the origin, as shown below.
It follows that the volume of the gas is
directly proportional to its absolute (or
Kelvin) temperature
It is impossible to get to
absolute zero for gases
because they condense
(liquify) at fairly higher
temperatures.
Example 1
The temperature of a gas is –42°C. What is this temperature on the
Kelvin scale?
Solution
Temperature T = (– 42 + 273) K = 231 K
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 7
Example 2
0.02 m3 of a gas at 27°C is heated at constant pressure until the
volume is 0.03 m3. Calculate the final temperature of the gas in °C.
Solution
V
= constant (pressure being constant)
T
V1 V2
=
T 1 T2
0.02 0.03
=
300 T2
0.03
T2 = 300 × = 450 K
0.02
= (450 – 273) °C= 177°C
Pressure Law
This law relates pressure of fixed mass of a gas to its absolute temperature at
constant volume.
Pressure law states that the pressure of a fixed mass of gas is directly
proportional to its absolute temperature, provided the volume is kept
constant.
In symbols;
P α T (V constant)
Or P = kT, where k is constant
P 1 P2
So, =
T1 T 2
A plot of pressure against
temperature gives the graph shown alongside.
When the graph is extrapolated, it cuts the temperature axis at –273°C, the
absolute zero.
The figure alongside shows the same graph
of an absolute temperature scale.
Example 1
A cylinder contains oxygen at 0°C, and 1 atmosphere pressure. What
will be the pressure in the cylinder if the temperature rises to 100°C?
Solution
P
=constant
T
1 P2
=
273 273
373
P2 = = 1.37 atmospheres
273
Example 2
At 20°C, the pressure of a gas is 50 cm of mercury. At what
temperature would the pressure of the gas fall to 10 cm of mercury?
Solution
P 1 P2
=
T1 T 2
50 10
=
293 T 2
2930
T2 = = 58.6 K (or -214.4 °C)
50
Equation of State
A general gas law relating the changes in
pressure, volume and the absolute
temperature can be derived from the three
gas laws.
Consider a fixed mass of gas which is
being changed from state A to state B
through an intermediate state C, as shown
below .
From A to C, the gas is heated at constant pressure P 1. By Charles’ law;
V1 Vc
=
T 1 T2
V 1T 2
Volume VC in state C, VC =
T1
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 9
∴V2 =
P1V 1 T2
P2 T 1
P1V 1 P2V 2
Rearranging, =
T1 T2
PV
In general, =k , where k is a constant.
T
This is known as the equation of state, in which k depends on the type and
quantity of the gas.
PV
The equation changes to =R when the amount of gas is 1 mole. Constant R is
T
same for all gases, and is called the universal gas constant.
Example
A mass of 1 200 cm3 of oxygen at 27°C and a pressure 1.2 atmosphere
is compressed until its volume is 600 cm 3 and its pressure is 3.0
atmosphere. Calculate the temperature of the gas after compression in
°C.
Solution
V1 = 1 200 cm3; V2 = 600 cm3; T1 = 27 + 273 = 300 K ; T2 =?
P1 = 1.2 atmosphere; P2 = 3.0 atmosphere
P1V 1 P2V 2
=
T1 T2
P 2 V 2 T 1 3× 600 ×300
T2 = =
P1 T 1 1.2 ×1 200
= 375 K = 102 °C
Assumptions of Gas laws
When explaining the gas laws using the kinetic theory, both the size of
molecules and the intermolecular forces are assumed to be
negligible.
Real gases have molecules with definite volumes and therefore the idea of
zero volume or zero pressure is not real. Real gases get liquified before
zero volume is reached.
This departure from the gas laws is so particularly true at low temperatures
and high pressures. A gas that would obey the gas laws completely is called
ideal or perfect gas.
10 Thermodynamics
Recently in KCSE;
1. 2006 Q9
On the axes provided sketch the graph of pressure P against volume V for
a fixed mass of an ideal gas. (1
mark)
2. 2006 Q12
The uniform bar in figure 7 is provided at its midpoint. It is in equilibrium
under the action of two identical balloons filled with equal volumes of
different light gases at the same temperature.
Explain why the bar may not remain in equilibrium if the temperature of
the surrounding changes.
(2 marks)
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 11
(ii) Given that the relation between the pressure P1 and the
volume, V1 of the gas is given by PV = k where k is a
constant, use the graph to determine the value of k.
(4 marks)
(iv) State one precautions you would take when performing such
an experiment
(1 mark)
4. 2007 Q12, 13
The graph in figure 7 shows the relationship between the pressure and
temperature for an ideal gas. Use the information in the figure to answer
questions 12 and 13
5. 2008 Q17
(a) What is meant by absolute zero temperature? (1
mark)
(b) State two factors that are kept constant, in order to determine the
relationship.
(2
marks)
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 13
6. 2009 Q13
State what is meant by absolute zero temperature (zero Kelvin or 273 °C)
(1 mark)
7. 2009 Q18
(a) State the pressure law for an ideal gas
(1 mark)
(i) State the reason why the volume increases as the bubble rises
in the liquid column.
(1 mark)
8. 2010 Q11
When a bicycle pump was sealed at the nozzle and the handle slowly
pushed towards the nozzle, the pressure of the air inside increased.
Explain this observation. (1 mark)
9. 2011 Q8
When the temperature of a gas in a closed container is raised, the
pressure of the gas increases. Explain how the molecules of the gas
cause the increase in pressure.
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 15
(2 marks)
10. 2012 Q8
In verifying the pressure law of gases, the temperature and pressure of a
gas are varied at constant volume. State the condition necessary for the
law to hold. (1 mark)
Determine:
(I) The pressure of the enclosed air. (2
marks)
(a) While the piston is at position O, the pressure of the enclosed gas is
10 Ncm2 at a temperature of 27 °C. When a 10 kg
mass is placed on the piston, it comes to rest at position
A without change in the temperature of the gas.
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 17
(4 marks)
(ii) State with a reason how the value obtained in (i) compares
with the initial pressure.
(2 marks)
(b) The gas is now heated by the heating coil so that the piston moves
back to the original position O.
(i) State the reading on the pressure gauge. (1
mark)
(ii) Determine the temperature of the gas in °C.
(4 marks)
(Take g = 10 Nkg-1)
(b) The pressure of the air inside a car tyre increases if the car stands
out in the sun for some time on a hot day. Explain the pressure increase in
terms of the kinetic theory of gases.
(3 marks)
(b) Explain the pressure law using the kinetic theory of gases
(3 marks)
16. 2017 Q9
18 Thermodynamics
Figure 2 shows a round bottomed flask fitted with a long capillary tube
containing a drop of coloured water.
The flask is immersed in ice water for some time. State the observation
made. (2 marks)
Explain what will be observed when both cans are then suddenly dipped
into a cold water bath.
(3 marks)
19. 2018 Q10
Figure 6 shows the relationship between volume and pressure for a
certain gas.
@VictorV
GAS LAWS 19
(b) An air bubble at the bottom of a beaker full of water becomes larger
as it rises to the surface. State the reason why:
(i) the bubble rises to the surface; (1
mark)
(c) State two assumptions made in explaining the gas laws using the
kinetic theory of gases.
(2 marks)
(i) State with a reason which one of the laws may be verified
using the set up.
(2 marks)
(ii) State what the student left out in the diagram of the set up.
(1 mark)
(e) The volume of a fixed mass of a gas reduced from 500 cm 3 to 300
cm at constant pressure. The initial temperature was 90K. Determine
3
(b) Explain why it is not possible to obtain zero pressure of a gas in real
life situation.
(2 marks)
@VictorV