Chem Lab

Pressure – Temperature Relationship in Gases

Introduction:
In this experiment the pressure exerted by a gas in a space in takes up will be measured using a
pressure probe, to see if the pressure a gas exerts changes as it heats up or cools down. All
gases are made molecules that are always in constant motion and they collide with the walls of
the space they occupy (McMurry, Fantini, Fay, 2012). The speed at which the molecules hit the
walls of the container as well as the number of collisions will affect the pressure exerted on the
walls of the container. Those variables can be changed by changing the temperature of the
molecules in the gas. After the experiment is run for 4 different temperatures, all data will be
recorded and analyzed to form a graph to determine what kind of mathematical relationship
exists between pressure and the absolute temperature of a confined gas.
Materials:

 LabQuest
 Vernier gas pressure sensor
 Temperature probe
 Ice
 Hot plate
 Plastic tubing with two connectors
 125 ml Erlenmeyer flask
 Rubber stopper assembly
 Ring stand and utility clamp
 Two 600 ml beakers
 Glove or cloth
 Beaker tongs
Methods

 Prepare hot water by placing 400ml of tap water into 600ml beaker and placing on hot
plate. Turn hot plate on high heat and wait for it to boil.
 Prepare cold water by placing ice in a 600ml beaker about 1/3 full and adding tap water
to the 400ml mark.
 Prepare temperature probe and pressure sensor for data collection by placing rubber
stopper into the Erlenmeyer flask and putting valve in one hole and connecting rubber
tube into the other. Also place temperature probe into the 600ml beaker and connect
both temperature probe and pressure tube into LabQuest.
 Set up LabQuest and test it before starting to collect data.
 Start collecting data for the given temperatures (~ 0˚C, 22˚C, 50˚C, 80˚C)
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 Once all data has been recorded use the data to create a graph to present the
relationship between pressure and temperature.
 Temperature has to be written on the graph using the Kelvin absolute temperature scale
to determine if the relationship is direct or inverse.

Results

Pressure (kPa) Temperature (˚C) Temperature (K) Constant, k (P/T or

PxT)
89.77 0.4 273.55 0.328
95.93 18.8 291.95 0.328
105.98 51.7 324.85 0.326
116.05 86.1 359.25 0.323

Temperature-Pressure Relationship
150
100
y = 3.2706x - 294.13
50
Temperature (C)

0
-50 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
-100
-150
-200
-250
-300
Pressure (K)

Temperature (˚C) Linear (Temperature (˚C))

Discussion
The data collected during the experiment and used to create the above graphs show a positive
linear association between pressure and temperature. The line on the graph shows that as the
temperature of the gas inside the flask rises the pressure exerted on the walls of the flask also
rise which gives a direct relationship between the two factors. There were no errors during this
experiment.
Over all, the results obtained during the experiment resulted in a scatter plot with points that
are exactly on the trend line deeming this experiment successful. Future trials of this
experiment should be conducted in a similar fashion to obtain similar results.
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Conclusion
The relationship between pressure exerted by a gas on the walls of a space that it occupies was
found to be directly proportional to the given temperature of the gas at a given moment. The
reasoning being that the velocity at which the molecules of the gas are travelling and while
colliding against the container wall as well as the number of times those collision are
happening, increase as the molecules get more excited when the temperature rises.
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References

McMurry, J. E., Fantini, J., & Fay, R. C. (2012). Chemistry. Boston, Mass.: Prentice Hall, Pearson.
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Post lab questions

1. In order to perform this experiment, what two experimental factors were kept constant?

The two experimental factors that were kept constant were the volume of the gas and the volume of the
flask

2. Based on the data and graph that you obtained for this experiment, express in words the
relationship between gas pressure and temperature.
Pressure is directly proportional to temperature

3. Explain this relationship using the concepts of molecular velocity and collisions of molecules.

An increase in temperature results in the increase in force and frequency with which the gas mollecules
collide with the calls of the container, thereby increasing the pressure

4. Write an equation to express the relationship between pressure and temperature (K). Use the
symbols P, T, and k.

P=kT

5. One way to determine if a relationship is inverse or direct is to find a proportionality constant, k,

from the data. If this relationship is direct, k = P/T. If it is inverse, k = P•T. Based on your answer to
Question 4, choose one of these formulas and calculate k for the four ordered pairs in your data table
(divide or multiply the P and T values). Show the answer in the fourth column of the Data and
Calculations table. How “constant” were your values?

The Values 0.328, 0.328, 0.326, 0.323 are fairly close to one another and can be assumed to be constant

6. According to this experiment, what should happen to the pressure of a gas if the Kelvin
temperature is doubled? Check this assumption by finding the pressure at –73°C (200 K) and at 127°C
(400 K) on your graph of pressure versus temperature. How do these two pressure values compare?

Using linear regression line, the pressure at 200k should be 68.35 kPa and the pressure at 400k should
be 131.95 kPa