Charles Law
Return to Chemistry Index Page
Charles Law is a gas law that represents volume and temperature relationships. Charles Law can written as K=V/T In Charles Law pressure remains constant. The formula for Charles law is
V1 /T1=V2 /T2 The temperature used to solve Charles Law should be in Kelvin. The formula for Kelvin is K= C + 273.15.
|
Charles Law is a direct proportion. If temperature in creases then volume increases, if temperature decreases then volume decreases. Like a balloon, that is taken from a hot environment to a cold environment and then back to the hot environment, the balloon will expand and contract according to the outside temperature heating and cooling the inside air. |
|
Example Problem:
A balloon has a 40 mL at 20 K. The balloon diameter then expands and the new volume is 400 mL, what is the new temperature in Kelvin?
V1= 20 mL
T1= 20 K
V2= 400 mL
T2= ?
You take Charles Law V1 /T1=V2 /T2 and rearrange the variables to fit the new formula for the variable that needs to be solved.
V1 T2=V2 T1
T2=V2 T1 / V1
T2=400 mL ( 20K ) / 20 mL
T2= 400 K
