Lab: Can Crushing (26 points)

Objectives
After you have completed this laboratory, you will be able to:

Demonstrate and explain the relationship among pressure, temperature, and volume.

Calculate pressure.

Introduction
The combined gas law includes all three gas laws: Boyles law, Charles law, and Gay-Lussacs law. It
expresses the relationship among pressure, temperature, and volume of a fixed amount of gas. As the
temperature of a gas is increased, the volume increases and the pressure increases. This is a direct
relationship. As you exert (increase) pressure on a gas, the volume decreases. This is an inverse
relationship.

Purpose of This Lab

The purpose of this lab is to demonstrate pressure-temperature-volume relationships. You will change the
temperature of the air inside an aluminum to affect volume and pressure. This change in pressure will
crush the aluminum can.

Questions
1. What is todays atmospheric pressure? Use an online weather resource.

2. If your atmospheric pressure is measured in mm Hg or in Hg, convert it to atm. You will need this
value for your lab calculations.

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Hypothesis
After reading the lab instructions but before starting the lab, record your best educated guess about
what will happen in the experiment. Write the hypothesis as an if-then statement. Give your reasons and
outline any assumptions that lead you to this hypothesis.

Experiment: Can Crushing

In this lab you will measure the change in pressure to crush an aluminum soda can. This lab
demonstrates the relationships among the three variables of a gas: pressure, temperature, and volume.
You will observe how a change in temperature affects the volume and pressure of the gas inside the can.
Observe your empty aluminum can. Right now, the pressure on the inside of the can is equal to the
pressure being exerted on the outside of the can. Your job is to increase the temperature of the air inside
the can, which will decrease the pressure, causing the atmospheric pressure to crush the can (decrease
in volume). You will calculate the final pressure inside at the time of implosion.

Materials

1 empty soda can (uncrushed)

water

tsp. spoon

hotplate/stove top

casserole dish (3-5 inches deep)

thermometer C

ice

graduated cylinder (100mL)

metal tongs

Safety Precautions
Be safe as you work on this or any lab. Follow these steps to safely conduct the experiment:

Always be careful when using a hotplate/stove top and handling hot objects.

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Getting Started

Gather all the materials for the lab.

Rinse the inside of the soda can. Be sure there is no soda left in the can.

Fill the casserole dish three-thirds full of water.

Add 2-3 cups of ice. This is the cold water bath.

Let sit for 10 minutes.

Procedure
1. Record your atmospheric pressure in atm from Question 2 in the Data Table under initial
pressure.
2. Fill the empty soda can to the rim of the opening with water.
3. Pour the volume of water into the graduated cylinder (you may have to do this several times and
add the volumes for the total volume).
4. Record the total volume of the can in the Data Table under initial volume.
5. Add 10 mL of water to the can.
6. Turn the hotplate/stove top between low and medium. Let it heat for 2 minutes.
7. Place the can on the hotplate/stove top.
8. After 1-2 minutes you should hear the water boiling inside the can.
9. Allow the water to boil in the can for another 1-2 minutes.
10. Use the thermometer to record the temperature of the water inside the can.
11. Record the temperature in the Data Table under initial temperature.
12. Measure the temperature of the cold water bath.
13. Record the temperature of the cold water bath in the Data Table final temperature.
14. When you see steam vigorously leaving the can, quickly use the tongs to pick up the can and
plunge it upside-down in the cold water bath.
15. If there is water in the can, pour it out.
16. Fill the can completely with water and then plug any holes that may have formed when it
imploded.
17. Pour the volume of water into the graduated cylinder. You may need to do this more than once
and add the volumes for the total.
18. Record the total volume of the crushed can in the Data Table under final volume.

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Disposal and Clean Up

1. Dispose of the crushed can.
2. Clean and dry all lab materials.
3. Clean and dry your workspace.

Data
Data Table 1: Pressure and Volume
Variable

Initial

Final

Volume (mL)
Temperature (C)
Pressure (atm)

Analysis
1. Use the combined gas law [(P 1 V 1 )/T 1 = (P 2 V 2 )/T 2 ] to calculate the pressure inside the can at the
time of implosion.

2. Did the volume of the can increase or decrease when you plunged it into the cold water bath?

3. Did the pressure inside the can increase or decrease when you plunged it into the cold water
bath?

4. Did the can implode when you plunged it upside-down in the water?

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Conclusion
After conducting the experiment, how would you now explain the problem(s) or answer the question(s)?
Were you able to support your hypothesis or not? Be sure to base your answer on the data you collected.
Consider whether your conclusion is the only explanation for the data you collected or if there could be
alternate explanations.
Use these prompts to guide you in writing your conclusion:

Discuss what variables changed to make the can implode.

When you heated the water inside the can, how did this affect the volume of air inside the can?

When you plunged the can in the cold water bath, how did this affect the volume inside the can?

When you heated the water inside the can, how did this affect the pressure inside the can?

When you plunged the can in the cold water, how did this affect the pressure inside the can?

How did all of these changes lead to the implosion of the can? What pressure caused the
implosion of the can?

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Additional Questions
1. After completing this lab, would you say that atmospheric pressure is strong? Explain.

2. Why was there cold water inside the can right after you plunged it upside-down in the cold water
bath?

3. If your experiment does not seem to match the expected results, what did you learn from the
experience? If you were to repeat the lab so that the results were closer to what was expected,
what would you do differently?

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