Honors Chemistry · Unit 2 · Gas Laws

PVTn Particle Lab

Heat it, squeeze it, or add more gas, and watch what the particles do. Lock one variable to test a gas law, record your data, and graph it.

PV = nRT
Pressure
0kPa
Temperature
300K
27 °C
Volume
1.00L
1000 mL
Amount (n)
40particles
0.040 mol
Wall collisions
0hits/s
push per hit —
total push —
avg speed —

Your data

The gray rows are example data from a Boyle's law run. Press Clear to start your own.

Investigations

Boyle's law

hold T · change V
  1. Set V to 2.00, 1.00, 0.50, 0.25 L.
  2. Record P each time.
  3. Graph P vs. V, then P vs. 1/V.

What happens to the wall hits when V is halved?

Charles's law

hold P · change T
  1. Record V at 150, 300, 450, 600 K.
  2. Graph V vs. T.
  3. Extend your line: where does V reach zero?

Why does the piston move when you heat the gas?

Gay-Lussac's law

hold V · change T
  1. Record P at 150, 300, 450, 600 K.
  2. Graph P vs. T.
  3. Check: is P/T the same every time?

Which changed: how often particles hit, how hard, or both?

Avogadro's law

hold P and T · add gas
  1. Add one puff at a time.
  2. Record V after each puff.
  3. Graph V vs. particles.

Predict V after 4 puffs before you try it.

Same pressure, any gas

hold T, V, n · swap the gas
  1. Record P with N₂.
  2. Switch the gas to He, then Xe. Record P each time.
  3. Compare hits/s and push per hit.

Xe hits the walls less often. Why is its pressure the same?

Dalton's law

hold T and V · add a second gas
  1. Record P with 40 particles of N₂.
  2. Add 4 puffs of He. Record P again.
  3. Is Ptotal = PN₂ + PHe?

Does the He pressure depend on what else is in the box?

The tank car

rigid tank · hot steam · sealed

Recreate the anchoring phenomenon. Cool the sealed tank, then let the steam condense. Watch the inside pressure and the tank walls.

Which step drops the pressure more?

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