Question

State and explain Charle's law.

Short answer

#tag_title# Short Answer #tag_content# Charles's Law states that for a given amount of gas in a sealed container with constant pressure, the volume of the gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature. This means that as the temperature of a gas increases, its volume also increases. A real-life example of this is a hot air balloon, where heating the air inside causes it to expand and lift the balloon. The formula for Charles's Law is: \( V_1 / T_1 = V_2 / T_2 \), where the temperatures must be in Kelvin.

Step-by-step solution

State Charles's Law

Charles's Law, also known as the law of volumes, states that for a given amount of gas in a sealed container with constant pressure, the volume of the gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature. This law was named after Jacques Charles, a French chemist, and physicist, who formulated the original law in the 1780s.

Explain Charles's Law

Charles's Law demonstrates the relationship between a gas's volume (V) and its temperature (T). As the temperature of a gas increases, the particles of the gas gain kinetic energy and start moving faster. The faster movement of the particles causes them to collide with the container walls more frequently and with more force, which in turn results in an increase in the volume of the gas, provided there is no change in pressure. Conversely, if the temperature of the gas decreases, the particles lose kinetic energy, and their movement slows down, decreasing the volume.

Real-life example

A good example of Charles's Law in action is a hot air balloon. As the air inside the balloon is heated, it expands, causing the volume of the air inside the balloon to increase. Due to this increase in volume, the less dense hot air rises, causing the balloon to lift. When the air inside the balloon is cooled, it contracts, decreasing the volume and causing the balloon to descend.

Formula for Charles's Law

The formula for Charles's Law can be mathematically represented as: \[ V_1 / T_1 = V_2 / T_2 \] Where: \(V_1\) = initial volume \(T_1\) = initial temperature (in Kelvin) \(V_2\) = final volume \(T_2\) = final temperature (in Kelvin) It is important to note that the temperatures must be in Kelvin, as volume becomes directly proportional to temperature only when the temperature is measured on an absolute scale, such as Kelvin.