Properties of gases( pressure, volume, temperature by Boyle's Law) - Research Paper Example

Properties of gases by Boyles Law: pressure, volume, temperature Introduction The experiment outlined below is a contemporary version of a standard experiment conducted by Robert Boyle on various aspects of gases. Boyle revealed the relationship between volume and pressure of gases that now bears his name. This project exhibits a simple procedure for recapping this famous experiment.Objective of the experimentThe main goal of this experiment is to determine the relationship between the pressure of a gas and its volume.

In this case, the temperature of the system is held constant, (Stephen 145).Background InformationThe project revisits the study that was initiated by Robert Boyle in the year 1662. In the study, gas exhibited a unique characteristic that made it possible to make various studies regarding the gases. The compressibility of gases gave a breakthrough to the current gas laws and principles. During the preliminary studies, Boyle systematically compressed air in a sealed glass tube with the mercury trapped in the side, (Stephen 146).

He then varied the amount of mercury trapped in the tube and made observation on the pressure changes inside the column. He named the U-tube glass as manometer. Below is a diagram representing a simplified manometer.Equipment and Materials A 30 ml syringe with a close-fitting cap2 wooden blocks with a whole drilled in the centreA small piece of wire (approximately 30cm)4 1-kilogram bricks of uniform size and shapesA bathroom scale for weighing the bricksStationeries and the lab notebookProcedureThe setup for the experiment is provided below in form of a diagramThe setup shows a syringe with a completely sealed tip in a vertical position.

The syringe is supported by a pre-drilled block as shown. The thin wire is used to let out the excess air trapped in the syringe when setting up the experiment. The wire is, however, removed just before the experiment begins. The block on top of the syringe serves as a shelf for the 1-kilogram bricks used to vary the pressure on the plunger.1. Record the volume indicated by the plunger on the syringe. This volume will be used as the initial volume in the experiment.2. On top of the block acting as the shelf for the bricks, place one of the brick and record the final volume indicated on the syringe.3. Repeat the procedure (2) above until the fifth brick is exhausted4.

Remove the bricks one by one and in each case record the volume indicated; take the average of the two volumes and the resulting figure should be recorder as the volume for that mass.The table below shows sample figures obtained in this experimentMass on the plunger(kg)12345Weight(N)1020304050Pressure on the plunger(pressure=force/area20000400006000080000100000Volume(cm3)107654Discussion When a graph of pressure (y-axis) is plotted against volume (y-axis), the graph reveals an inverse relationship between the pressure and the volume if the temperature was kept constant.

Therefore, pressure (P) is inversely proportional volume (V) when the temperature parameter remains unchanged. In this case, P=k/V where k is the constant of proportionality. Through mathematical manipulation, PV=k.When the parameters of a gas is compared at two different conditions,P1V1=k and P2V2 =k. since the constant is for the same gas, P1V1= P2V2The above equation represents the simplest form of Boyle’s law, (Stephen 151).The objectives of the experiment were achieved since the ideal Boyle’s law was verified.

Conclusion This experiment holds the finding by Robert Boyle that when the temperature of a gas is held constant; the pressure of the gas is inversely proportional to its volume. The relationship shows that when the volume increases, the pressure must decrease and vice versa is also true.Work CitedZumdahl, Steven S. Chemical Principles. 6th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.