Gas Laws
Boyle's Law
The volume of a gas depends on pressure. Hold temperature constant.
Real Life Example:
Decompression Sickness (The Bends)
Nitrogen bubbles in the blood expand when a scuba diver rises to quickly to lower pressure at the surface.
Historical Connection:
Washington Roebling, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, was paralyzed by decompression sickness or caisson disease. Many bridge construction workers also experienced this while working on the bridge supports.
Iowa State University Simulation
Could the pressure depend on volume? Use the simulation to change the volume in the cylinder and watch what happens to the pressure gauge. If you stop and then start again as you change the volume, the data will be recorded in a chart for graphing. Try It
Charles Law
The volume of a gas depends on temperature. Hold pressure and mass constant.
Real Life Example:
Hot Air Balloon: The balloon expands when the air is heated.
Helium Balloon: The balloon appears to deflate in cold air and inflate in hot air.
Historical Connection:
French scientists Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier, Jean-Baptiste Reveillon and Giroud de Villette make the first manned balloon flight in tethered balloon October 19, 1783.