Charles Law Example Problem

Charles law is a special case of the ideal gas law in which the pressure of a gas is constant. Charles law states that volume is proportional to the absolute temperature of a gas at constant pressure. Doubling the temperature of gas doubles its volume, so long as the pressure and quantity of the gas are unchanged.   Charles Law Example Problem This example problem shows how to use Charles law to solve a gas law problem: A 600 mL sample of nitrogen is heated from 27  °C to 77  °C at constant pressure. What is the final volume? Solution: The first step to solving gas law problems should be converting all temperatures to absolute temperatures. In other words, if the temperature is given in Celsius or Fahrenheit, convert it to Kelvin. (This is where the most commonplace mistakes are made in this type of homework problem.) T K 273  °CTi initial temperature 27  °CTi K 273 27Ti K 300 KTf final temperature 77  °CTf K 273 77Tf K 350 K The next step is to use Charles law to find the final volume. Charles law is expressed as: Vi/Ti Vf/TfwhereVi and Ti is the initial volume and temperatureVf and Tf is the final volume and temperatureSolve the equation for Vf:Vf ViTf/TiEnter the known values and solve for Vf.Vf (600 mL)(350 K)/(300 K)Vf 700 mLAnswer:The final volume after heating will be 700 mL. More Examples of Charles Law If you think Charles Law seems irrelevant to real-life situations, think again! By understanding the basics of the law, youll know what to expect in a variety of real-world situations and once you know how to solve a problem using Charles Law, you can make predictions and even start to plan new inventions. Here are several examples of situations in which Charles Law is at play: If you take a basketball outside on a cold day, the ball shrinks a bit as the temperature is decreased. This is also the case with any inflated object and explains why its a good idea to check your cars tire pressure when the temperature drops.If you over-inflate a pool float on a hot day, it can swell in the sun and burst.Pop-up turkey thermometers work based on Charles law. As the turkey cooks, the gas inside the thermometer expands until it can pop the plunger. Examples of Other Gas Laws Charles law is only one of the special cases of the ideal gas law that you may encounter. Each of the laws is named for the person who formulated it. Its good to know how to tell the gas laws apart and be able to cite examples of each one. Amontons Law: Doubling temperature doubles pressure at constant volume and mass. Example: As automobile tires heat up when you drive, their pressure increases.Boyles Law: Doubling pressure halves volume, at constant temperature and mass. Example: When you blow bubbles underwater, they expand as they rise to the surface.Avogadros Law: Doubling the mass or number of moles of a gas doubles the volume at constant temperature and pressure. Example: Inhaling fills the lungs with air, expanding their volume.