Ideal Gas Law
Definition
The ideal gas law is a fundamental equation in chemistry and physics that relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and amount of an ideal gas. It combines several individual gas laws (Boyle’s, Charles’s, and Avogadro’s laws) into one comprehensive relationship.
Mathematical Expression
The ideal gas law is expressed as:
PV = nRT
This formula allows you to solve for any one of the variables if the others are known.
Variables Explained
- P = Pressure of the gas (in atm or Pa)
- V = Volume of the gas (in liters, L)
- n = Amount of substance (in moles, mol)
- R = Ideal gas constant (0.0821 L·atm/mol·K or 8.314 J/mol·K)
- T = Temperature (in kelvins, K)
Note: Temperature must always be in Kelvin, and pressure and volume must match the units of the gas constant used.
Applications and Significance
- Used to calculate unknown properties of gases in chemical reactions.
- Important in engineering fields like thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
- Helps understand the behavior of gases under different conditions of pressure and temperature.
- Forms the basis for real gas models with corrections applied for intermolecular forces and volume.