What is an example of a Boyle's law practice problem?

1 Answer
Manish Bhardwaj
Jul 16, 2014

Boyle's Law, a principle that describes the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas. According to this law, the pressure exerted by a gas held at a constant temperature varies inversely with the volume of the gas. For example, if the volume is halved, the pressure is doubled; and if the volume is doubled, the pressure is halved. The reason for this effect is that a gas is made up of loosely spaced molecules moving at random. If a gas is compressed in a container, these molecules are pushed together; thus, the gas occupies less volume. The molecules, having less space in which to move, hit the walls of the container more frequently and thus exert an increased pressure.

Stated as a formula, Boyle's Law reads:

#V_1#/ #V_2#= #P_2#/ #P_1# (at constant temperature)

where #V_1# equals the original volume, #V_2# equals the new volume, #P_1# the original pressure, and #P_2# the new pressure.

An unknown gas has an initial pressure of 150 kPa and a volume of 1 L. If the volume is increased to 1.5 L, what will the pressure be now?
#V_1# = 1L #P_1# = 150 kPa
#V_2#= 1.5 L #P_2# = ?

1L/ 1.5 L = #P_2# / 150 kPa

#P_2# = 150 kPa x 1 L / 1.5 L

#P_2# = 100 kPa.

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