Part 1: Boyle’s Law: Pressure–vs–Volume

The objective of this experiment is to re-examine the relationship between the pressure and
volume of a confined gas using available technology. The gas we use will be air, and it will be
confined in a syringe connected to a Pressure Sensor (see Figure 1). When the volume of the
syringe is changed by moving the piston, a change occurs in the pressure exerted by the confined
gas. This pressure change will be monitored using a Pressure Sensor. Temperature is assumed to
be constant throughout the experiment. Pressure and volume data pairs will be collected and then
analyzed. From the data and graph, you should be able to determine the mathematical
relationship between the pressure and volume of the confined gas. This relationship was first
established by Robert Boyle in 1662 and has since been known as Boyle’s law.

Figure 1

MATERIALS
CBL 2 interface ChemBio Program
TI Graphing Calculator 20­mL gas syringe
Vernier Gas Pressure Sensor

PROCEDURE
1. Position the plunger at the 20-mL mark of the syringe and connect to the Pressure Sensor as
shown in Figure 1.
2. Connect the pressure gauge to channel 1 (CH1) of the CBL 2 interface.
3. Connect the CBL 2 to your TI 83 calculator. Make sure all connections are snug.
4. Hit the APPS Button on your calculator, and using the arrow keys, scroll down until you find
the ChemBio program. Hit ENTER.

5. When you get to the ***MAIN MENU***, choose #1: SET UP PROBES.
Follow the prompts on the screen. See Figure 2.

6. At the **CALIBRATION** screen, choose #1: USE STORED.

7. At the PRESSURE screen, choose #1: GAS PRESSURE

8. Choose your desired units of pressure, kPa, Atm, or mm Hg. Hit ENTER.

9. You are now ready to collect data. Choose #2: COLLECT DATA.

10. At the DATA COLLECTION screen, choose #3: TRIGGER/PROMPT

11. The next steps will require some coordination between you and your lab partner. While one
person is manipulating the plunger, your partner should be in charge of hitting the [+] key to
collect the data. This may take a little practice. Don’t fret if you don’t get it all the first time.

12. Collect as many data points as possible. Your first data point (pressure reading) will be for
20 ml (original position of plunger).

13. When you receive the prompt ENTER VALUE ? Type in the volume from the syringe. So,
your first entry will be 20, to indicate the pressure the CBL 2 recorded was for a volume of
20 ml.

14. At each subsequent DATA COLLECTION screen, choose #1: MORE DATA until you are
finished with the experiment, at which point you will choose #2: STOP.

15. Hit the ENTER key to return to the ***MAIN MENU***. From here you can view your
graph, fit a curve to the data, and view the data.

16. Proceed to the Extension and re-analyze your data following the provided instructions.

DATA AND CALCULATIONS

Tabulate and graph pressure vs. volume data and record the equation fitting your data.

Your data is stored in L1 and L2 which can be accessed by hitting the STAT button and then
EDIT.

You can “connect the data points” by changing the plot type in the STAT PLOT menu.

Answer each of the following lab questions in your lab notebook, Be sure to show all work,
and follow appropriate graphing rules (labeled axes, titles, etc.)
 QUESTIONS
1. If the volume is doubled from 5.0 mL to 10.0 mL, what does your data show happens to the
pressure? Show the pressure values in your answer.

2. If the volume is halved from 20.0 mL to 10.0 mL, what does your data show happens to the
pressure? Show the pressure values in your answer.

3. If the volume is tripled from 5.0 mL to 15.0 mL, what does your data show happened to the
pressure? Show the pressure values in your answer.

4. From your answers to the first three questions and the shape of the curve in the plot of
pressure versus volume, do you think the relationship between the pressure and volume of a
confined gas is direct or inverse? Explain your answer.
5. Based on your data, what would you expect the pressure to be if the volume of the syringe
was increased to 40.0 mL. Explain or show work to support your answer.
6. Based on your data, what would you expect the pressure to be if the volume of the syringe
was decreased to 2.5 mL.

7. What experimental factors are assumed to be constant in this experiment?

8. One way to determine if a relationship is inverse or direct is to find a proportionality

constant, k, from the data. If this relationship is direct, k = P/V. If it is inverse, k = P•V. Based
on your answer to Question 4, choose one of these formulas and calculate k for the seven
ordered pairs in your data table (divide or multiply the P and V values). Show the answers in
the third column of the Data and Calculations table.

9. How constant were the values for k you obtained in Question 8? Good data may show some
minor variation, but the values for k should be relatively constant.

10. Using P, V, and k, write an equation representing Boyle’s law. Write a verbal statement that
correctly expresses Boyle’s law.
 Part 2: Gay-Lussac’s Law: Pressure –vs–Temperature

Gases are made up of molecules in constant motion that exert pressure when they collide with
the walls of their container. Their velocity and the number of collisions is affected when the
temperature of the gas changes. In this experiment, you will study the relationship between the
temperature of a gas sample and the pressure it exerts. Using the set-up shown in Figure 1, you
will place a flask containing an air sample in water baths of varying temperature. Pressure will
be monitored with a Pressure Sensor while temperature is monitored using a Temperature Probe.
The volume of the gas sample and the number of molecules it contains will be kept constant.
Pressure and temperature data pairs will be collected during the experiment and then analyzed.
From the data and graph, you will determine the mathematical relationship between the pressure
and absolute temperature of a confined gas. You will also use your data to find a value for
absolute zero. Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac was first to establish the relationship between pressure
and temperature. He was also the first to publish on the relationship between volume and
temperature but gave credit for this to Charles based on earlier discussions he had with him.

Figure 1

MATERIALS
CBL 2 interface plastic tubing with two connectors
TI Graphing Calculator – DataMate Program 125­mL flask
Vernier Gas Pressure Sensor rubber stopper assembly
Vernier Temperature Probe ring stand and utility clamp
ice four 1­liter beakers
hot plate Hot Hands or tongs

PROCEDURE
1. Prepare (or confirm availability of) four water baths – 1L beakers with about 800 mL of
boiling water, warm water, room temperature water and ice water.

2. Assemble and prepare the flask, Calculator, CBL2, Temperature Probe and Pressure
Sensor for data collection as described in detailed instructions provided in the lab.

3. Collect pressure vs. temperature data for a gas sample in the flask after it stabilizes to the
temperatures of the ice, room temperature, warm water and boiling water baths.
 CAUTION: Do not burn yourself or the probe wires with the hot plate. Use a ring stand
and utility clamp to suspend the Temperature Probe in the boiling-water bath. To keep
from burning your hand, hold the tubing of the flask using a Hot Hands.

1. Graph and analyze your pressure vs. temperature (°C) data and compare these against
pressure vs. temperature (K).
2. Follow detailed instructions provided in the lab to graph and analyze your pressure vs.
temperature data, including obtaining a best fit curve and recording your equation.
3. If time allows, follow lab extension instructions and estimate the value of absolute zero
from your data.

DATA AND CALCULATIONS

Tabulate and graph pressure vs. temperature data and record the equation fitting your data.

QUESTIONS
1. In order to perform this experiment, what two experimental factors were kept constant?

2. Based on the data and graph that you obtained for this experiment, describe in your own
words the relationship between gas pressure and temperature.

3. Explain this relationship using the concepts of molecular velocity and collisions of
molecules.

4. Write an equation to express the relationship between pressure and temperature (K). Use the
symbols P, T, and k.

5. One way to determine if a relationship is inverse or direct is to find a proportionality

constant, k, from the data. If this relationship is direct, k = P/T. If it is inverse, k = P•T. Based
on your answer to Question 4, choose one of these formulas and calculate k for the four
ordered pairs in your data table (divide or multiply the P and T values). Show the answer in
the fourth column of the Data and Calculations table. How “constant” were your values?

6. According to this experiment, what should happen to the pressure of a gas if the Kelvin
temperature is doubled? Check this assumption by finding the pressure at -73°C (200 K) and
at 127°C (400 K) on your graph of pressure versus temperature. How do these two pressure
values compare?