Republic of the Philippines

CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY

MAIN CAMPUS
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No.:(063)6214-578 loc. 118 or (036)522-3845
Website:www.capsu.edu.phEmail Address:capsumaincoed@yahoo.com

CHARLES’ LAW

SHEILA MAE F. HALAGHAY MARY GRACE B. GALAGATE

Reporter Professor

Jacques Charles (1746-1823) - French physicist and balloonist that first observed the
relationship between volume and temperature.

Charles’ Law- states that the volume of a fixed amount of gas maintained at constant
pressure is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.

This law is expressed mathematically as:

V∝T
V=kT
k=V/T

Where V is the volume of the gas and T is the temperature expressed in Kelvin (K). The
ratio of a given pressure and temperature at a given pressure and number of moles is a gas
is a constant (k).

Charles’ law also explains what happens to a gas of the properties (volume or
temperature) is altered while the pressure and amounts of gas remain constant. For this
condition, the following equation is used:

V1 = V2
T1 = T2

Where V1 and T1 are the initial volume and temperature, and V2 and T2 are the final volume
and temperature.

Sample Problem 1

A balloon has a volume of 2500.0 mL on a day when the temperature is 30.0 ⁰C. If
the temperature at night falls to 10.0⁰C, what will be the volume of the balloon if the
pressure remains constant?

Given:
T1= 30.0⁰C= (30.0⁰C + 273.15K) = 303.15K
T2= 10.0⁰C = (10.0⁰C + 273.15K) = 283.15K
V1= 2500.0mL

Find V2 = ?
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
Fuentes Drive, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines
Tel. No.:(063)6214-578 loc. 118 or (036)522-3845
Website:www.capsu.edu.phEmail Address:capsumaincoed@yahoo.com

Solution

The temperature and volume vary while the pressure and the amount of gas remain
constant. Using the general equation for Charles’ Law,

V1 = V2
T1 = T2

Derive the equation for V2

V2= V1T2
T1

= 2500.0 mL x 283.15K
303.15K

V2 = 2,335 mL

Sample Problem 2

A sample of oxygen occupies a volume of 1.6 L at 91°C. What will be the temperature
when the volume of oxygen is reduced to 1.2 L?

Given:
V1 = 1.6 L V2 = 1.2 L
T1 = (91°C + 273.15K) = 364.15 K

Find T2 =?

V1 = V2
T1 = T2

Derive the equation for T2

T2 = V2T1
V1

= 1.2 L x 364.15 K
1.6 L

T2 = 273.11 K

SELF-CHECK

1. Find the initial volume of a gas at 150 K, if the final volume is 6 L at 100 K?
2. A container holds 50.0 mL of nitrogen at 25° C and a pressure of 736 mm Hg. What
will be its volume if the temperature increases by 35° C?