Ideal Gases

Principles Illustrated: Correlation between temperature and pressure

Location: Cabinet D, Shelf 4

Heat the sealed sphere with a butane flame and watch the pressure rise. An ice bath (optional) aids in rapid cooling.

Principles Illustrated: Atmospheric force, Pressure differentials

Location: Cabinet D, Shelf 3

A classic demonstration of pressure differentials. A rectangular 'gas can' contains a cup or so of water. The can is placed on a hot plate until the water boils. The can is then capped and placed on its side in an ice water bath. The resulting pressure differential between the cooling water vapor inside the can and atmospheric pressure outside the can causes the can to collapse dramatically.

Alternatively, the demonstration can be done with a soda can. The steam filled can is turned upside-down in a water bath. The collapse is startling and dramatic. When the can is removed from the bath, it is nearly full of the water due to the vacuum created by the condensation of the steam.

Principles Illustrated: Correlation of temperature and pressure

Location: Cabinet D, Shelf 4

A small amount of flammable material is put in the tube. A quick, strong blow compresses the entrapped gas, heats the material and causes a quick ignition flash.

This demo takes considerable practice and preparation, and often fails to work the first time.

Principles Illustrated: PV = nRT

Location: Cabinet D, Shelf 1

Three dimensional models of the standard 2D graphs. H2O and CO2 models are available.