Academic Subjects
Chemistry
General Chemistry
Gases
Calculating Volume To Pressure Ratio Of Gas

A sample of gas occupies a volume of 3.2 L at 1.8 atm.
What would be its volume if the pressure is doubled? reduced by one-half?



Applying the Ideal Gas Law, we conclude that temperature is kept constant
and there is no mention of moles, i.e. we do not need T, n and R

pV = nRT,
also called Boyle's Law

since this is the same gas under different conditions,
let's set up a ratio between the initial and the final stage

(pinitial)(Vinitial) = (pfinal)(Vfinal)


Volume

when pressure is doubled

(1.8 atm)(3.2 L) = (3.6 atm) (L)

(1.8 atm)(3.2 L) / (3.6 atm)
= 1.6 L

Ideal Gas Law Revamped

pressure reduced by 1/2

(1.8 atm)(3.2 L) = (0.9 atm) (L)

(1.8 atm)(3.2 L) / (0.9 atm)
= 6.4 L

Temperature

When the pressure of this gas is doubled,
the final volume is 1.6 L,

whereas,

when the pressure of this gas is reduced by 1/2,
the final volume is 6.4 L


perfectly demonstrating Boyle's Law, i.e.
the relationship between pressure and volume

when one goes up, the other one goes down