Gay-Lussac’s Law Experiment for Schools, Teachers, and Students
Gay-Lussac’s Law states that the pressure of a fixed amount of gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature, provided the volume remains constant.
Formula:
P ∝ T
or
P/T = constant
Where:
- P is the pressure of the gas (Pa or atm)
- T is the absolute temperature (Kelvin)
- Volume and amount of gas remain constant
Equation
For two states of the gas at constant volume:
P1/T1 = P2/T2
Where:
- P1, T1 are the initial pressure and temperature
- P2, T2 are the final pressure and temperature
Graphical Representation
- Pressure vs. Temperature in Kelvin: A straight line passing through the origin, showing that pressure is directly proportional to temperature.
- Pressure vs. Temperature in Celsius: A straight line intersecting the temperature axis at -273.15°C, which is absolute zero.
Key Points
- Pressure increases as temperature increases if volume remains constant.
- At absolute zero (0 K), the pressure of a gas theoretically becomes zero.
- Gay-Lussac’s Law is most accurate for ideal gases and small temperature changes in real gases.
Real-Life Applications
- Pressure cookers: As temperature increases, pressure rises, cooking food faster.
- Aerosol cans: Heating increases pressure, which can cause them to burst.
- Car engines: Fuel combustion increases temperature and pressure, generating power.
- Airplane tires: Friction during landing heats the gas inside, increasing pressure.
Observations
- Increasing temperature increases pressure at constant volume.
- At 0 K, gas pressure theoretically reaches zero.
- Gay-Lussac’s Law applies mainly to ideal gases at constant volume.
