Charles' Law
Key Stage 5
Meaning
Charles' law states that for a fixed mass of an ideal gas at constant pressure, its volume is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.
About Charles' Law
- Charles' Law is expressed mathematically as 𝑉∝𝑇.
- Charles' Law demonstrates the relationship between volume and temperature of gases.
- Charles' Law assumes the gas behaves ideally and pressure remains constant.
- Charles' Law can be derived from the ideal gas law.
- Charles' Law is important in understanding the behaviour of gases under different temperature conditions.
- Charles' Law is used in various applications involving gases, such as ballooning and air conditioning.
- Charles' Law helps in predicting the expansion or contraction of gases with temperature changes.
Formula
- \(T\propto V\)
- \(\frac{V}{T}=constant\)
Where,
V is the volume of the ideal gas,
and
T is the temperature of the ideal gas
When there is a change of temperature and volume of a known amount of an ideal gas at constant pressure the following formula can be used:
- \(\frac{V_1}{T_1}=\frac{V_2}{T_2}\)
Where the number represents before and after the change.
Examples
- A balloon expands when heated due to the increase in volume as per Charles' law.
- Hot air balloons rise because the heated air inside expands, making it less dense than the surrounding air.