The volume of a gas is reduced from 4 L to 0.5 L while the temperature is held constant. How does the gas pressure change?

1 Answer
Nathan L.
Jun 3, 2017

It increases by a factor of #8#.

Explanation:

We can use the pressure-volume relationship of gases, illustrated by Boyle's law:

#P_1V_1 = P_2V_2#

We're not given any pressure values, but we can solve this in terms of #P_1#, the original pressure (to calculate for the final pressure, #P_2#). Plugging in the known values, and solving for #P_2#, we have

#P_2 = (P_1V_1)/(V_2) = (P_1(4cancel("L")))/(0.5cancel("L"))#

So,

#P_2 = 8(P_1)#

Therefore, the value of the final pressure is #8# times that of the original pressure; i.e. the pressure increases by a factor of #8#.

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