A gas has a volume of 550.0 L at a temperature of 35.0C. What temperature will the gas be if the volume decreased to 260.0 L assuming constant pressure?

Answer 1

We can use Charles's Law to relate the volume and temperature of a fixed amount of gas at constant pressure. Charles's Law is written as V₁/T₁ = V₂/T₂ where V₁ and T₁ are the initial volume and initial temperature while V₂ and T₂ are the final volume and final temperature. Note that when using this gas law that all temperatures must be expressed in Kelvin so add 273 to the given Celsius temperature (T₁ = 35.0^OC + 273 = 308 K).

V₁/T₁ = V₂/T₂

V₁T₂ = V₂T₁

(550.0 L)(T₂) = (260.0 L)(308 K)

T₂ = 145.6 K

To convert from Kelvin to Celsius we then subtract 273.

145.6 K - 273 = -127^OC