On hot days you may have noticed that potato chip bags seem to inflate even though they have not been opened. If I have a 250 mL bag at a temperature of 19 F and I leave it in my car which has a temperature of 60 F what will the new voulume of the bag be?

2 Answers

Cannot be determined

Explanation:

The mechanical strength of the material of the bag provides limits the expansion. Once it reaches the maximum volume, the pressure builds up in the bag. Assuming that the bag does not provide any resistance to the expansion of the gas within, and also assuming that the chips in the bag occupy negligible volume and ideal gas assumption is valid, you may use PV = nRT to solve the problem

The new volume will be 271 ml.

Explanation:

The equation for Charles Law is V_1/T_1 = V_2/T_2
Charles law is a direct relationship for volume and temperature as measured in degrees K or absolute temperature.

The temperatures are given in degree F not degree's K.

The temperatures must be changed first to degree's C and then degrees C must be changed to K (Kelvin).

C^o = ( F -32 ) xx 5/9

T_1 C^o = (19-32) xx 5/9

T_1C^o = -7.2

T_2C^o = ( 60 -32) xx 5/9

T_2C^o = 15.5

K = C^o + 273

T_1 K = -7.2 + 273

T_1 K = 266

T_2K_ = 15.5 + 273

T_2K = 288

These values for T_1 and T_2 can be put into the equation for Charles Law

V_1 = 250 ml V_2 = new volume.

250/266 = V_2/288

(250 xx 288)/266 = V_2

271 ml = V_2