CONSTRUCTION OF CONCEPT THROUGH EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING

4.4 UNDERSTANDING THE GAS LAWS

Learning Outcome:

1. Explain gas pressure, temperature and volume in terms of the behavior

of gas molecules.

2. Determine the relationship between:

P and V at constant T,
V and T at constant P,
P and T at constant V, for a fixed mass of gas

CHARLES’ LAW

Problem/misconception/challenge faced by the teachers

1. Students cannot imagine the behavior of molecules based on the kinetic of

matter.

2. Students solve problems by using mathematical logic but not the concept of
physics.

3. Students cannot relate the concept of Charles’ Law to daily phenomena.

Topic: Understanding Charles’ Law

Approach: Constructivism
Method: Analogy and Effective Questioning Sequence.

Implementing strategy:

1. Teacher introduces an analogy.

Once upon a time, 6 little boys went to a jungle to search for a rabbit as
their pet. They were caught by a giant. The giant took them to his cave. The 6
little boys were blindfolded and were put into a metal cylinder with piston as
shown in the diagram below.
 The giant cooked the 6 little boys in the metal cylinder as shown in the
diagrams below.

A B

The boys were blindfolded and moved randomly representing the random
molecular motion. Pressure was produced as the boys knocked against the wall of
the cylinder. The pressure produced is directly proportional to the rate of collision of
the molecules against the walls.

2. Students are asked several questions to construct the concept of Charles’

Law.

a. Does the number of the little boys remain the same in both situations?
Answer: same

b. Which situation has a higher temperature?

Answer: situation B

c. In situation B, what would the boys do in order to escape?

Answer: the boys will push the piston

d. Which cylinder has a higher volume?

Answer: situation B

e. Are the pressures the same for both situations?

(Accept any answer)
Teacher explains why the pressure remains constant

f. What is the relationship between the volume and the temperature?

Answer: The higher the temperature, the bigger the volume.

Note: After this analogy, students are asked to carry out the experiment
from the Form 4 Practical Text Book.
 From the experiment, students should be able to deduce
P
= constant, and explain absolute zero temperature.
T

CONSTRUCTION OF CONCEPT THROUGH EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING

4.4 UNDERSTANDING THE GAS LAWS

Learning Outcome:

1. Explain gas pressure, temperature and volume in terms of the behavior

of gas molecules.

2. Determine the relationship between

P and V at constant T,
V and T at constant P,
P and T at constant V, for a fixed mass of gas

PRESSURE LAW

Problem/misconception/challenge faced by the teachers

1. Students cannot imagine the behavior of molecules based on the kinetic

theory of matter

2. Students solve problems by using mathematical logic but not the

concept of physics.

3. Students cannot relate the concept of the pressure law to daily

phenomena.

Topic: Understanding Pressure Law

Approach: Constructivism
Method: Analogy and Effective Questioning Sequence.

Implementation of strategy:

1. Teacher introduces an analogy.

The giant found out that the 6 little boys might escape from the cylinder by
pushing up the piston. Now the 6 little boys were blindfolded and put into a
metal box with fixed volume.
 The giant cooked the little boys in a fixed volume metal box as shown in
the diagram for his dinner.

A B

The boys were blindfolded and walked randomly representing the random
molecular movement. Pressure was produced as the boys knocked against the wall
of the cylinder. The pressure produced is directly proportional to the rate of collision
of the molecules against the walls.

2. Students are asked several questions to construct the concept of Pressure

Law.

a. Does the number of the little boys remain the same in both situations?
Answer: same

b. Which situation has a higher temperature?

Answer: situation B

c. In situation B, what would the boys do in order to escape?

Answer: The boys will knock against the wall more frequently and harder

d. Which situation has the higher rate of collision?

Answer: situation B

e. What can you say about the pressure in situation B compared to

situation A?
Answer: Pressure in situation B is higher

f. Is there any change in volume?

Answer: No

g. What is the relationship between pressure and the temperature?

Answer: The higher the temperature, the higher the pressure.
Note: After this analogy, students are asked to carry out the experiment from the
Form 4 Practical Text Book. From the experiment, students should be able to
deduce
V
= constant, and explain absolute zero.
T

CONSTRUCTION OF CONCEPT THROUGH EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING

4.4 UNDERSTANDING THE GAS LAWS

Learning Outcome:

1. Explain gas pressure, temperature and volume in terms of the behavior

of gas molecules.

2. Determine the relationship between

P and V at constant T,
V and T at constant P,
P and T at constant V, for a fixed mass of gas

BOYLE’S LAW

Problem/misconception/challenge

1. Students cannot imagine the behavior of molecules based on the kinetic

theory of matter.

2. Students solve problems by using mathematical logic but not the

concept of physics.

3. Students cannot relate the concept of Boyle’s Law to daily

phenomena.

Topic: Understanding Boyle’s Law

Approach: Constructivism
Method: Simple activity and Effective Questioning Sequence.

Implementing strategy:
 C
D

C Air bubble

Measuring cylinder

A
Plastic tube

Procedure:

1. Fill the 1000 ml measuring cylinder with water until the level marked D.

2. Put one end of the plastic tube into the water until it reaches the base of the
measuring cylinder.

3. Blow some air through the plastic tube into the water in the measuring
cylinder.

4. Observe the size of the air bubble as it moves from A to C.

Questions:

1. In which position does the air bubble has the biggest size?
Answer: C

2. In which position does the air bubble has the smallest size?
Answer: A

3. At which position has the highest pressure?

Answer: A

4. At which position has the lowest pressure?

Answer: C

5. Is the temperature of the air bubble constant?

Answer: Yes
 6. What is the relationship between pressure and the size (volume) of the air
bubble?
Answer: The higher the pressure, the smaller the size (volume) of the air
bubble.

7. What is the relationship between pressure and volume?

Answer: The higher the pressure, the smaller the volume.

Suggested Experiment:

Aim: To investigate the relationship between volume and pressure at

constant temperature for a fixed mass of gas.

Teacher guides the students to deduce the Boyle’s Law from the data obtained
Formative Test: THE GAS LAWS

CHARLES’ LAW

Charles’ Law based on Kinetic Theory of Gas

When gas is heated, kinetic energy of the molecules __________________

(increases/ decreases) and the velocity ______________________

(increases/ decreases). The rate of collision between the molecules and the wall of

the case ____________________________.

Pressure increases and pushes the piston upwards until the gas pressure in the

cylinder _____________________________ to the atmospheric pressure. The

piston stops moving.

PRESSURE LAW

Pressure Law based on Kinetic Theory of Gas

When the temperature of a gas ______________________, the kinetic energy of the

molecules will also ________________________ and the molecules move faster.

This will ____________ the frequency of collision between molecules and the wall

of the case, so the gas pressure will also ________________. Gas pressure

_________________________ when the gas temperature ___________________.

BOYLE’S LAW

Boyle’s Law based on Kinetic Theory of Gas

Air/Gas
molecul
es

When pressure is added on the piston, the volume of the gas decreased, the

distance between molecules __________________. The rate of collision between

molecules and the wall of the case __________________________. The rate of

change of the momentum _____________________The force that acts per unit area
increases. Gas pressure ____________________

Question :

1.

A taxi driver released some air from the tyres before starting his journey from
Malacca to Penang. When he arrived in Penang, he noticed that the tyres had
inflated slightly.

(i) Name the force acting between the tyres and the surface of the road when the
car is moving?

___________________________________________________________________

(ii) What is the effect of the force in 1(i) on the temperature of the air in the tyres?

________________________________________________________________
__

(iii) What happen to the air pressure in the tyres?

________________________________________________________________
___

(iv) What is the relationship between the temperature and the pressure of the tyres?

________________________________________________________________
___
2.
B

(i) Point A and B are at different depth. Compare the pressure at point A and
point B.

(ii) Air bubbles are produced at point A. What happen to the volume of the air
bubbles when they rise to the surface?

______________________________________________________________

(iii) State the relationship between the volume of the air bubble and
pressure.

______________________________________________________________

3. A syringe filled with air at a fixed mass and constant temperature is connected to a
Bourdon Gauge with a reading of 1.0 X 105 Pa when the volume of the syringe is
30 cm3. The piston of the syringe is push into the cylinder.

a) Calculate the volume of air in the cylinder when a pressure of 2.5 X 105 Pa is
applied ?

b) If the volume of air in the cylinder is 10 cm3, what is the reading of the
Bourdon Gauge?
4. For each of the graphs relating between P and V given below, determine whether
its true or false.
P P
a) c)

1/V V

PV V
b) d)

V P

5.

X2
4 cm X1

8 cm

(b)
(a) (c)

Figure (a) above shows a capillary tube filled with 4 cm mercury in a standing
position with the length of trapped air of 8 cm.

a) Find the length of the trapped air when the position of the capillary tube is in
(i) Figure (b)

(ii) Figure (c)

 b) Compare the pressure exerted onto the trapped air in the three situations
above.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

6. The gas pressure at temperature of 270C is 10,000 Pa. The gas is then heated
in an enclosed container with fixed volume. When the gas pressure increases
to 21 500 Pa, what is the temperature of the gas now?

7. An air bubble at the base of a pond has a volume of 0.4 mm3. The volume
increases to 1.6 mm3 when it reaches the surface, [Atmospheric Pressure = 10 m
water] Calculate
(i) the depth of the pool.

(ii) the volume of the bubble when it is at the depths of 10m?