Chapter 6 The States of Matter

6.6 The Gas Laws

1
Definitions
Gas Law – a mathematical relationship that describes the
behavior of gases as they are mixed, subjected to
pressure or temperature changes, or allowed to diffuse.
Pressure – A force per unit area of surface on which the
force acts. In measurements and calculations involving
gases, it is often expressed in units related to
measurements of atmospheric pressure.
Standard Atmosphere – The pressure needed to support
a 760 mm column of Hg in a barometer tube.
Torr – The pressure needed to support a 1 mm column of
Hg in a barometer tube.
Absolute Zero – The temp at which all motion stops; a
value of 0 on the Kelvin scale.

2
Properties That Describe a Gas

Gases are described in terms of four properties:

pressure (P), volume(V), temperature(T), and
amount(n).

3
Gas Pressure

Gas pressure
• is described as a force acting on a specific area.
Pressure (P) = Force
Area
• Has units of atm, mm Hg, torr, lb/in.2 and kilopascals(kPa).

1 atm = 760 mm Hg (exact)

1 atm = 760 torr
1 atm = 14.7 lb/in.2
1 atm = 101.325 kPa

4
Learning Check

A. What is 475 mm Hg expressed in atm?

1) 475 atm
2) 0.625 atm
3) 3.61 x 105 atm

B. The pressure in a tire is 2.00 atm. What is this

pressure in mm Hg?
1) 2.00 mm Hg
2) 1520 mm Hg
3) 22 300 mm Hg

5
Solution

A. What is 475 mm Hg expressed in atm?

2) 0.625 atm
475 mm Hg x 1 atm = 0.625 atm
760 mm Hg

B. The pressure of a tire is measured as 2.00 atm. What is

this pressure in mm Hg?
2) 1520 mm Hg
2.00 atm x 760 mm Hg = 1520 mm Hg
1 atm

6
Atmospheric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure
is the pressure exerted by
a column of air from the
top of the atmosphere to
the surface of the Earth.

7
Altitude and Atmospheric Pressure

Atmospheric pressure

• is about 1 atmosphere at
sea level.
• depends on the altitude
and the weather.
• is lower at high altitudes
where the density of air
is less.
• is higher on a rainy day
than on a sunny day.

8
Barometer

A barometer

• measures the pressure

exerted by the gases
in the atmosphere.

• indicates atmospheric
pressure as the height
in mm of the mercury
column.

9
Learning Check

A. The downward pressure of the Hg in a barometer is

_____ than (as) the pressure of the atmosphere.
1) greater 2) less 3) the same

B. A water barometer is 13.6 times taller than a Hg

barometer (DHg = 13.6 g/mL) because
1) H2O is less dense than mercury.
2) H2O is heavier than mercury.
3) air is more dense than H2O.

10
Solution

A.The downward pressure of the Hg in a barometer is

3) the same (as) the pressure of the atmosphere.

B. A water barometer is 13.6 times taller than a Hg

barometer (DHg = 13.6 g/mL) because
1) H2O is less dense than mercury.

11