Gas Laws - Pressure v. Temperature (Nadia Chocron)

Author

Nadia Chocron

Principle(s) Illustrated

1. When pressure increases, temperature increases.

2. When molecules are under pressure, they will begin colliding more, causing the temperature to increase.

3. Temperature and pressure are directly proportional.

Standards

• • 8.3 Each of the more than 100 elements of matter has distinct properties and a distinct atomic structure. All forms of matter are composed of one or more of the elements. As a basis for understanding this concept:

• 8.3.e Students know that in solids the atoms are closely locked in position and can only vibrate; in liquids the atoms and molecules are more loosely connected and can collide with and move past one another; and in gases the atoms and molecules are free to move independently, colliding frequently.

Questioning Script

Prior knowledge & experience:

Students already know that temperature is the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a substance. They also know that gas molecules are rapidly moving, spread far apart, and collide often.

Root question:

What do you think will happen to the temperature if we continue to increase the pressure inside the bottle using a fizz keeper cap?

Target response:

The temperature will increase as the pressure increases.

Common Misconceptions:

Students think that as gases become pressurized, they turn into a liquid and lose energy. They think that the gas can be squished into a liquid.

Photographs and Movies

This is a graph showing the relationship between pressure and temperature.

The materials are a one liter soda bottle, a thermometer, and a fizz keeper pump cap which increases the pressure within the bottle.

References

Where to buy caps

Gas Law Demonstrations