If #13/4 L# of a gas at room temperature exerts a pressure of #16 kPa# on its container, what pressure will the gas exert if the container's volume changes to #3/8 L#?

1 Answer
Jan 2, 2017

The gas will exert a pressure of #138.7 kPa#

Explanation:

We can obtain the final pressure via Boyle's Law:

http://slideplayer.com/slide/698879/

Let's identify the known and unknown variables:

#color(blue)("Knowns:")#
- Initial Volume
- Final Volume
- Initial Pressure

#color(magenta)("Unknowns:")#
- Final Pressure

All we have to do is rearrange the equation to solve for the final pressure. We do this by dividing both sides by #V_2# in order to get #P_2# by itself like this:
#P_2=(P_1xxV_1)/V_2#

Insert the given values into the equation to solve for #P_2#:

#P_2= (16kPa xx 13/4cancel"L")/(3/8\cancel"L")# = #138.7 kPa#