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The atmosphere is too vast for us to have any control over atmospheric pressure. Contained
gases are a different matter. We can add gas or remove it, shrink or expand the container, or
heat or cool the gas. In this chapter we will examine the work of such eminent scientists as
Robert Boyle, Jacques Charles, and Joseph Gay-Lussac. These scientists studied the effects of
changes in the pressure, volume, and temperature of contained gases. From their results they
proposed a set of relationships that together are known as the gas laws. Using the kinetic
theory, however, we can often explain how gases will respond to a change of conditions without
resorting to formal mathematical expressions. We will therefore begin this chapter with some
examples of how simple kinetic theory is used to explain gas behaviour. Our emphasis will be on
gas pressure.
Figure 1: Gas is pumped into a closed rigid container, the pressure increases in proportion to the number of gas
particles added. If the number of particles doubles, the pressure doubles. If the pressure exceeds the strength of
the container, the container explodes.
Letting the air out of a tire or the gas out of a storage cylinder decreases the pressure in the
container. Fewer particles are left. As you probably already guessed, halving the number of
particles in a given volume of gas decreases the pressure by one-half. When a sealed container
of gas under pressure is opened, the gas always moves from the region of higher pressure to
the region of lower pressure. This is because there is more empty space for the gas particles to
occupy. Gas particles increase their randomness by moving into this empty space, which is
always a favourable process. Expansion continues until the gas pressures inside and outside
the container is equal. Once the pressures are equal, the mixing of gases in the container with
gases in the surrounding atmosphere is only by diffusion.
Figure 2: Doubling the force on a gas reduces the volume of the gas by one-half and doubles the pressure it
exerts.
Gases cool when they expand and heat when they are compressed. When the gas is rapidly
released from an aerosol can, the can becomes cooler. This is because the expanding gas
absorbs some thermal energy from the container and its contents as it escapes. Compressing a
gas always increases the temperature.
P1 X V1 = P2 X V2
P1 x V1 = P2 x V2 P1 = 100 kPa
(100 kPa)(30 L) ÷ (25 kPa) = V2 V1 = 30 L
(3000 L) ÷ (25) = V2 P2 = 25 kPa
120 L = V2 V2 = ? 120 L
V1 ÷ T1 = V2 ÷ T2
Note: Temperature in all gas problems is expressed as degrees Kelvin. Therefore we must
convert degrees Celsius to degrees Kelvin.
T1 = 27 ̊C + 273 = 300 K
T2 = 57 ̊C + 273 = 330 K
V1 ÷ T1 = V2 ÷ T2 V1 = 4.0 L
(4.0 L) ÷ (300 K) = V2 ÷ (330 K) T1 = 300 K
((330 K) (4.0 L) ÷ (300 K)) = V2 V2 = ? 4.4 L
4.4 L = V2 T2 = 330 K
The balloon will expand from a volume of 4.0 L at 27 ̊C to a volume of 4.4 L at 57 ̊C.
P1 ÷ T1 = P2 ÷ T2
P1 ÷ T1 = P2 ÷ T2 P1 = 300 kPa
(300 kPa) ÷ (300 K) = P2 ÷ (100 K) T1 = 300 K
((100 K) (300 kPa) ÷ (300 K)) = P2 P2 = ? 100 kPa
100 kPa = P2 T2 = 100 K
P1 X V1 ÷T1 = P2 X V2 ÷ T2
If you have been wondering how to remember the expressions for the other gas laws, it turns
out that there is really no need. The other laws can be obtained from the combined gas law by
holding on quantity (pressure, volume, or temperature) constant.
P1 x V1 ÷ T1 = P2 x V2 ÷ T2 P1 = 10,000 kPa
(10,000 kPa)(30 L) ÷ (300 K) = (500 kPa)(30 L) ÷ T2 V1 = 30 L
T2 = (500 kPa)(300 K) ÷ (10,000 kPa) T1 = 300 K
T2 = 15 K V2 = 30 L
T2 = ? 15 K (-258 ̊C)
K = ̊C + 273
15 = ̊C + 273
15 – 273 = ̊C
-258 = ̊C
The new temperature of the gas in the cylinder is 15 K, or, -258 ̊C.
P1 X V1 ÷T1 X N1 = P2 X V2 ÷ T2 X N2
OR
16.05 g
1.28 x 106 mole of CH4 = = 2.05 x 107 g of CH4
1 mol
There are 2.05 x 107 grams of methane that this natural gas deposit contains.