Boyle’s Law

Boyle’s Law, formulated by the Irish scientist Robert Boyle in the 17th century, describes the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas when the temperature and amount of gas remain constant. 

Boyle’s Law states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume. 

In simpler terms, as the volume of a gas decreases, its pressure increases, and vice versa, as long as the temperature and amount of gas remain constant. 

To understand Boyle’s Law, imagine a balloon filled with a certain amount of gas. If you squeeze the balloon by reducing its volume while keeping the temperature constant, the gas particles inside the balloon will be forced to occupy a smaller space. This increase in the concentration of gas particles within the reduced volume leads to more frequent collisions with the inner surface of the balloon, resulting in higher pressure. 

Conversely, if you allow the balloon to expand, increasing its volume while keeping the temperature constant, the gas particles will spread out over a larger space. With fewer gas particles per unit volume, the frequency of collisions with the inner surface of the balloon decreases, resulting in lower pressure. 

Boyle’s Law can be mathematically expressed as 

 V ∝ 1/P or V×P = constant 

Here, the V represents volume of the gas at pressure P.

In the given diagram, we can take multiple readings by keeping the temperature constant. The initial reading can be  ​P1 and V1 ​ representing the initial pressure and volume respectively, and then we can take a final reading as   P2 ​ and V2​ representing the final pressure and volume, respectively.

Since their products are supposed to be constant, so we can say that

 P1 × V1 = P2 ​ × V2​

Overall, Boyle’s Law helps us understand how changes in volume affect the pressure of a gas when temperature and the amount of gas remain constant. It is a fundamental principle in the study of gas behaviour and has applications in various fields, including chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Relation between temperature and pressure

Gas pressure is intricately linked to the forces exerted by gas particles as they collide with surfaces. The pressure of a gas is a measure of the force exerted by the gas particles on the walls of the container per unit area. When gas particles collide with the container walls, they transfer momentum and create pressure.