Discuss the following with your partner. Based on your explanation for the
plunger problem, what you would expect to happen to the pressure of a
confined gas when the volume is increased?
Your Mission, should you choose to accept it
(you must accept it, you have no choice):
Using the lab setup on the computer, determine how changing the
volume of a gas container effects the pressure of the gas when the
gas is kept at a constant temperature. Your findings may shed light
on the plunger problem!
What you will see on the computer screen when you start the lab is a
sliced-section of a cubic box.
(This could be the inside of the
toilet plunger.)
Choose a temperature for your gas
particles.
Select a volume for the box. The
corresponding pressure will
appear on the Pressure Gauge above the data
table.
Record your data when you are satisfied with your choice of
volume.
You should select six to eight different
volumes
before you change to a new
temperature.
Copy your data from the screen into your notebook
before choosing a new temperature.
Selecting a new temperature will
clear your data!Note: the third data table will be used later
during "Mathematical Analysis"
After completing 2 or 3 different experiments (at 2 or 3 different
temperatures) move on to the
analysis questions. Tip! Think about the toilet plunger
problem! Does the temperature under the plunger change at all
?
Study the data you have just collected from your trials.
Describe the relationship between
pressure of a gas and its
volume.
(Use a complete sentence. You might begin with something like this:
As we increase the volume of a gas, the
pressure...)
Does changing the temperature at which
you do your experiment influence the relationship between
pressure and
volume?
If yes, explain how.
In science and mathematics we describe the relationship between two
variables (like pressure and
volume) as either
"direct" or "inverse."
In a direct relationship, if one variable increases in value,
the other variable also increases. (Lift more weights,
build more muscles.)
In an inverse relationship, if one variable increases,
the other variable decreases. (Miss more school, grades
go down)
After reviewing the data from your experiments, can you describe the
relationship between pressure and
volume?
Now, based on what you learned in the lab, explain how the plunger sticks
to the wall.
Discuss the following with your partner. Based on your explanation for the
plunger problem, what you would expect to happen to the pressure of a
confined gas when the volume is increased?
In a direct relationship, if one variable increases in value,
the other variable also increases. (Lift more weights,
build more muscles.)
In an inverse relationship, if one variable increases,
the other variable decreases. (Miss more school, grades
go down)