Gas Law Practice

Name ____________________________________
Gas behavior can be explained qualitatively by using the kinetic molecular theory. Gas molecules are moving
constantly, filling the volume of the container in which they are confined. Collisions between gas molecules and
the walls of their container cause gas pressure. The average kinetic energy of the gas molecules in the container
is directly proportional to the Kelvin temperature. Use these concepts to answer the following questions.
1. A welder uses oxygen in his oxyacetylene torch. At the beginning of the work day, the gauge of the shows
the internal gas pressure to be 2250 psi. After work that day the welder checks the tank again and finds the
pressure to be 225 psi. What fraction of the gas molecules was used? (psi stands for pounds per square inch;
it is another unit of pressure)

2. At a birthday party a child sits on a partially filled balloon, decreasing its volume by 1/2. What is the new
pressure inside the balloon?

3. In a cryogenics (extreme cold) demonstration, a scientist takes a small, partially inflated balloon out of
liquid nitrogen (at a very low temperature). As the balloon rests on the table, it begins to grow in size. Explain
this phenomenon.

4. The tank of an air compressor contains gas at normal atmospheric pressure ( 1 atm). If the compressor
motor pumps the equivalent of three extra tanks of air into the compressor tank, what will be the final
pressure?

5. Huge weather balloons partially filled with helium are sent high into the earths atmosphere to examine the
air. As a balloon rises into the air, the air pressure outside the balloon decreases rapidly. If the atmospheric
pressure becomes one-third of its original pressure, what will happen to the balloon volume? Explain.

6. Use the kinetic molecular theory to explain why on a cold autumn morning a campers air mattress may
appear to be somewhat flatter than it was when blown up the afternoon before. Assume no leaks.

The rest of this worksheet will give you practice in solving quantitative problems involving gas laws. The
variables associated with gases are: pressure, volume, number of moles and temperature. You will begin by
solving simple problems involving only two variables, gradually developing the skills necessary to solve more
difficult problems involving three, and four, variables.
7. Calculate the final pressure in the cylinder of a car engine if the original volume was 450 mL at a pressure
of 0.80 atm and the final volume is 120 mL. Assume no change in the number of molecules or temperature.

8. The gas inside a piston was heated until the volume of gas had increased from 125 mL to 250 mL. If the
temperature inside the piston was originally 15C, calculate the new temperature in C. Assuming that amount
of the gas and the pressure do not change.

9. One of the cylinders in an automobile engine is heated and the piston moves. Allowing the gas inside to
expand, The original pressure was 1.85 atm, while its original volume was 175 mL, measured at 18C. The final
measured pressure was 0.86 atm and the temperature was measured at 382C. Calculate the final volume of
the cylinder

Graphing Gas-Law Relationships The various gas laws express the relationships between quantities such as
pressure, volume, and temperature representing the variations between pressure, volume, and temperature
data helps to reveal the mathematical nature of the relationships. Consider the two examples that follow.
10. An expandable container is filled with a given volume of gas. While the pressure of the gas is kept
constant, the container is heated. The temperature is recorded in degrees Celsius, and the volume of the
contained gas is recorded as well. The data are shown in the following table.
Temperature (C)
Temperature (K)
Volume
0C
____________
293 mL
50C

____________

347 mL

100C

____________

401 mL

150C

____________

455 mL

Convert C into Kelvin and write these values into the table. Then plot the data on the grid supplied.
450
400
350

Volume (mL)

300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Temperature (K)

a. What type of proportion does this graph illustrate? Explain.

b. What is the value of V/T for this experiment?

c. To what graphical quantity does V/T correspond?

350

400

450

500

d. Is V/T constant or does it vary?

e. Extrapolate values for the volume occupied by the gas at

150 K______
75 K_______
0 K________
f. What gas law does the graph illustrate?
g. Express this relationship in the form of a mathematical equation.

Volume

11. The piston in the following figure is moving further into the cylinder. As it moves, both the pressure and
volume of the contained gas are measured. The data are shown in the following table. Graph these data on the
grid that follows and answer the accompanying questions.
Volume
Pressure
3
500
500 cm
1 atm
3
250 cm
2 atm
3
450
167 cm
3 atm
125 cm 3
4 atm
400
100 cm 3
5 atm
83 cm3
6 atm
350
71 cm3
7 atm
63 cm3
8 atm
300
56 cm3
9 atm
50 cm3
10 atm
250
200
150
100
50
0
1

10

Pressure(atm)

a. What type of proportion does this graph illustrate? Explain.

b. If the cylinder can suddenly accommodate a volume of 1000 cm 3. Predict the corresponding pressure value.

c. What pressure will be observed if the volume of the contained gas equals 375 cm 3?

d. Which gas law does the graph illustrate?

e. Express this relationship in the form of a mathematical equation.

Critical thinking
Carbon monoxide gas reacts with oxygen gas to form carbon dioxide gas. Write a balanced equation for the
reaction. Remember that oxygen gas is diatomic.

Given Avagadro's Hypothesis, what volume of oxygen will you expect to completely react with
4.0 L of carbon monoxide, if both gases are at the same temperature and pressure? Hint: Use the
coefficients of the balanced chemical equation above!!!!!

If the 4.0 L of carbon monoxide above contains 1.08 x 10 23 molecules, how many molecules of oxygen will you
find in 2.6 L of oxygen gas at the same temperature and pressure? Hint: Think ratios!

Avogadros Hypothesis states that equal volumes of gases (at the same temperature and pressure) contain
equal numbers of particles. If instead you have equal masses of the three gases in the reaction above, which
gas will occupy the largest volume assuming the gasses are all at the same temperature and pressure? Hint:
Pick a mass, any mass (10g is good) and change it to liters, you can do this by assuming STP and using gfm and
22.4L/mol. Which one is largest?

Why does that gas have the largest volume? Hint: Think about gfm and numbers of molecules.