Boyle's law and constant temperature

In summary: Boyle's law. But how is this possible if increasing pressure usually means increasing temperature? In reality, the experiment is done slowly so the gas stays at a constant temperature with its surroundings. This is achieved by using a heat bath, such as a mixture of ice and water, to maintain a constant temperature. Overall, Boyle's law is a specific case of the general gas law, PV/T, where P represents pressure, V represents volume, and T represents temperature.
  • #1
Entanglement
439
13
Boyle's law states that the product of the pressure and the volume of a gas is
Constant at a constant temperature, that means if pressure increase two times the volume decrease to half it's value "as long as the temperature is constant". How is the pressure increased and the temperature is kept constant, since increasing pressure involves doing work on the gas, shouldn't the temperature increase?
 
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  • #2
I think in reality this experiment can only be done very slowly so that the gas roughly remains in temperature equilibrium with its surroundings.
 
  • #3
ElmorshedyDr said:
Boyle's law states that the product of the pressure and the volume of a gas is
Constant at a constant temperature, that means if pressure increase two times the volume decrease to half it's value "as long as the temperature is constant". How is the pressure increased and the temperature is kept constant, since increasing pressure involves doing work on the gas, shouldn't the temperature increase?

Yes, you right. You're doing work on the gas so you must allow an equal amount of heat to come out so the temperature may remain constant. That's why that experiment is done in a heat bath of constant temperature. A mixture of ice and water works well.
 
  • #4
PV/T general gas law, PV Boyles law.
P-pressure
V-volume
T-temp

If you increase your pressure you increase your volume of gas
 
  • #5


You are correct that increasing pressure on a gas typically involves doing work on the gas, which can lead to an increase in temperature. However, Boyle's law specifically states that the temperature must be kept constant in order for the pressure and volume relationship to hold true. This can be achieved by using a device called a "constant temperature bath" which maintains a stable temperature for the gas to be contained in. Additionally, in ideal conditions, where there is no energy lost to the surroundings, the work done on the gas will be equal to the energy gained by the gas, resulting in no change in temperature. Overall, it is important to carefully control the experimental conditions in order to accurately observe Boyle's law and its relationship between pressure and volume at a constant temperature.
 

Related to Boyle's law and constant temperature

1. What is Boyle's law?

Boyle's law states that at a constant temperature, the volume of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to its pressure. This means that as the pressure of a gas increases, its volume decreases, and vice versa.

2. What is the formula for Boyle's law?

The formula for Boyle's law is P1V1 = P2V2, where P1 and V1 are the initial pressure and volume, and P2 and V2 are the final pressure and volume.

3. How does Boyle's law relate to the ideal gas law?

Boyle's law is one of the components of the ideal gas law, which also includes Charles's law, Avogadro's law, and the combined gas law. It specifically relates to the inverse relationship between pressure and volume at a constant temperature.

4. What is the importance of constant temperature in Boyle's law?

Constant temperature is important in Boyle's law because it allows for the direct relationship between pressure and volume to be observed. If the temperature were to change, it would affect the other variables and make it difficult to isolate the relationship between pressure and volume.

5. How is Boyle's law used in practical applications?

Boyle's law is used in various practical applications, such as scuba diving equipment, where changes in pressure can affect the volume of air in a tank. It is also used in the production of carbonated beverages, where carbon dioxide gas is compressed and dissolved into a liquid under high pressure, and then released to create bubbles when the pressure is reduced.

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