Gas Laws

Joyce Loera S, Bales

Dianne Patrisha S. Balondo

De La Salle University-Dasmarias

City of Dasmarias, Cavite, Philippines

ABSTRACT

The Combined Gas Law and Grahams Gas Law were executed in the experiment. The Combined Gas
Law was tested using volume, temperature and pressure inside an Erlenmeyer flask. The percentage
difference incurred in obtaining the V2 was calculated. In the Grahams Law of Diffusion, HCl and NH4OH
sample was placed on both ends of glass tubing. The movement of the acid and base was observed and
timed, until the white ring appeared. The gas with the lesser weight was faster. The percentage
difference of the Combined Gas Law and Grahams Experiment was also computed having 7.81% and 0%
respectively.

INTRODUCTION

Gas laws, physical laws describing the behavior of a gas under various conditions of pressure,
volume, and temperature. Experimental results indicate that all real gases behave in approximately the
same manner, having their volume reduced by about the same proportion of the original volume for each
drop of 1 on the Celsius temperature scale. Graphs drawn to describe this behavior can be extrapolated,
and all converge to a point corresponding to about - 273C this point is called absolute zero. A
temperature scale defined so that zero degrees corresponds to this zero-volume temperature coordinate
is known as an absolute scale. The Kelvin temperature scale begins at this absolute zero and has
degrees the same size as those of the Celsius scale.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Starting the experiment of the Combined Gas Law, a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask with a rubber stopper
and a glass tube and rubber tubing attached to it is placed in a 600 mL beaker filled with water to nearly
overflowing so that most of the flask submerged. Heat water to a boil, after setting up the process. After
the water has boiled for 5 min., the temperature of the air in the flask and the water should be the same.
While the water is boiling, fold over the rubber tube and clamp it tightly. Then, with a towel protecting your
hands, quickly remove the sealed flask from the boiling water and bring it to a basin filled with water at
room temp. Plunge the flask into the cold water. Keep the flask submerged for 3-4 mins. Then with the
flask inverted, open the pinch clamp and measure the temp. of water in the basin. After waiting for
another 2-3 mins. carefully raise the flask in the inverted position until the water level inside the flask
equals the water level outside the flask. Keep the tubing under water at all times. Close the rubber tubing
by clamping near the glass tube, and take the flask out of the water. Place the flask with the stopper and
clamped tube upright on the bench. Release the clamp and allow the water in the basin to drain into the
flask. Measure this volume of water using a graduated cylinder as 1 . After boiling and cooling down the
water in the Erlenmeyer flask, the data were recorded, as shown in Table 1.

The second experiment which is the Grahams Law is done by inserting a piece of moistened cotton
dipped in conc. HCl in one end of the long glass tube and another piece of moistened cotton dipped in
conc. NH4OH in the other end of the glass tube. These steps should be done simultaneously. Begin
timing the movement of the acid and base respectively as soon as the cotton are inserted. Place the
glass tube on a stable surface such that it does not move during the experiment. Record the time required
for HCl as well as the NH4OH to travel the length of the tube by noting the time when the white ring of
smoke appears in the glass tubing. Compute the rate of diffusion HCl and NH3.Data were shown on table
2.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Gases behave in a similar way over a wide variety of conditions because to a good approximation
they all have molecules which are widely spaced, and nowadays the equation of state for an ideal gas is
derived from kinetic theory. The Gas Laws that have been subject to testing were Combined Gas Law
and Grahams Law.

The tables below show the results of the experimentation.

Combined Gas Law

Temperature of boiling water (T1) 373 K

Temperature of water in the basin (T2) 297 K

Volume of water drawn in the flask, (V2 observed) 23 mL

Volume of air in the flask at T1, (V1) 150 mL

Barometric Pressure of water at T2 (P water) 760 mmHg

Vapor Pressure of water at T2 (P water) 22.4 mmHg

Partial Pressure of dry air (P2) 737.6 mmHg

Calculated volume of air in flask at T2, (V2 calculated) 124.06 mL

V2 Observed 121.6308 mL

% difference between V2 calc and V2 obs 1.98 %

Table 1: Combined gas law tabulated data

 Grahams Law

Distance of the white ring from the HCl end 10 cm

Time required for the white ring to appear 3 min

Rate diffusion of HCl 45.67 cm/min

Distance of the white ring from the NH3 end 14.55 cm

Rate diffusion of NH3 4.85 cm/min

Observed ration of diffusion rate of HCL / NH3 0.68

Calculated ratio of the rate of diffusion of HCl / 0.68

NH3 (based on their MW)
% difference between calculated and observed 0%
Table 2: Grahams law tabulated data

The combined gas law is a gas law which combines Charles's law, Boyle's law, and Gay-
Lussac's law. These laws each relate one thermodynamic variable to another mathematically while
holding everything else constant. Charles's law states that volume and temperature are directly
proportional to each other as long as pressure is held constant. Boyle's law asserts that pressure and
volume are inversely proportional to each other at fixed temperature. Finally, Gay-Lussac's law introduces
a direct proportionality between temperature and pressure as long as it is at a constant volume. The inter-
dependence of these variables is shown in the combined gas law, which clearly states that:

The ratio between the pressure-volume product and the temperature of a system remains constant

This can be stated mathematically as:

Fig.1: ration of Pressure, volume and temperature

where:
p is the pressure
V is the volume
T is the temperature measured in Kelvin
k is a constant (with units of energy divided by temperature).

For comparing the same substance under two different sets of conditions, the law can be written as:

Fig. 2: Combined gas law equation

 Graham's law, also known as Graham's law of diffusion, was formulated by Scottish physical
chemist Thomas Graham. Graham found experimentally that the rate of effusion of a gas is inversely
proportional to the square root of the mass of its particles. This formula can be written as:

Fig. 3: Grahams Law equation

where:

Rate1 is the rate of effusion of the first gas (volume or number of moles per unit time).
Rate2 is the rate of effusion for the second gas.
M1 is the molar mass of gas 1
M2 is the molar mass of gas 2.

Graham's law is most accurate for molecular effusion which involves the movement of one gas at
a time through a hole. It is only approximate for diffusion of one gas in another or in air, as these
processes involve the movement of more than one gas.

REFERENCES

(1) Samonte, J.L. & Figueroa, L.V. General Chemistry Laboratory Manual. 4th Ed. 2014. C&E Publishing,
Inc. PH