We both wanted to explore how temperature can affect scuba diving. Caroline wanted to run a lab experiment to demonstrate a scientific formula. Ella wanted to do any experiment to demonstrate Charles Law. So we both compromised and did an experiment that both suited their interest’s. So we both decided to do an experiment demonstrating how the temperature and volume of a gas directly change together.
Deciding on a topic to focus on together, we then researched more about our upcoming experiment. After researching and learning all about how Charles Law describes the relationship between the temperature and volume of a gas. We both came to a conclusion that our problem question would be: How will the volume of a gas change when the temperature of that gas is increased? This problem question would be solved by doing our experiment.
After our research we understood that the change in the volume of a gas is directly proportional to the change in temperature of that gas. This is how we thought that we could verify this theory with an experiment. Our hypothesis would be that if we heated gas contained in a flask that was connected to aquarium tubing that traveled to a graduated cylinder full of water, we would be able to see the volume of the gas increase when the volume of the water lowers, the gas taking the place. This would be because the gas inside of the flask would expand due to the heat, and the only other place that the new volume of gas could go would be through the aquarium tubing.
After running the experiment, we discovered that the results did not fully prove our hypothesis. Our hypothesis was that our results would form a direct variation, however our resolution does not do so. After putting our results through the formula, they do not match up and they don't make a direct variation. The temperature and volume did change simultaneously, however the increase of the volume was not as sudden and showed a big difference between the hypotheses. We believe that there must have been some sort of change in pressure that threw off how the volume increased, as well as the temperature gauge not having perfect timing and having a delay of showing results.
If we would change our project or readjust we would use a pressure sensor to track how much of a change in pressure there is in our project. One factor that we believe contributed to error was unknown pressure change from the heat. This unknown pressure could affect how fast the volume was changing and why the results of our experiment did not prove our hypothesis. Using a pressure gauge we would be able to track this unknown pressure and thus we would be able to take the pressure into account when calculating the results, using a combined Boyles and Charles law.
Through our project we learned about how to work out problems. We came a long way and learned to not have little things hold our whole project back. We sometimes faced some little challenges throughout our project, such as not knowing how to fill the graduated cylinder with water, and tracking the temperature and volume change at the same time. These were vey small things however we didn't let them hold us back at all and quickly figured out how to solve these problems. As we kept on getting faced with these problems we made our project grow even more. With some of the challenges we faced it helped us better understand our problem and helped us improve.