Worked Example
Climate scientists are concerned that the temperature of gases in the atmosphere is increasing. If the pressure of a gas sample increases while its volume is held constant, what must happen to the temperature of the sample?
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Refer to the ideal gas law equation: pV=nRT. If pressure is increased on the left side of the equation and the volume does not change, a factor on the right side of the equation must increase so that both sides of the equation remain equal. Because R is a constant and the amount of gas (n) has not changed, so temperature must increase.
Your Turn
How is the temperature of a gas sample affected if the volume of the sample increases while the pressure remains constant?
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Refer to the ideal gas law equation: pV=nRT. According to this equation, if the volume of the sample increases but the pressure doesn't change, a variable on the right side of the equation must increase so that both sides of the equation remain equal. Because R is a constant and the amount of gas (n) has not changed, the temperature of the sample must increase as the volume increases.