Heat

What Is Heat?

Heat is a form of energy,

measured in Joules, J.
Heat is the flow of thermal energy.

Temperature is a measure of the

average kinetic energy which each
molecule of an object possesses.
 Thermal Energy and Heat

Thermal energy is a measure of the sum of kinetic and

potential energy in all the molecules or atoms in an object.

The SI unit of thermal energy is Joule, J.

Heat is the flow of thermal energy, from a hotter body to a

colder one.
 We takes our hand
The ice melt when it is
away from the kettle
in the hand. The hand is
because we feel the
cooled.
heat of the kettle.
Heat is transferred from
Heat is transferred from
the hand to the ice.
the kettle to the hand.

Heat is transferred from hot object to

cold object.
 Temperature

Temperature is a physical quantity which measures the

degree of hotness of an object.

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy

which each molecule of an object possesses.

One object is at a higher temperature than another if the

average kinetic energy of each of its molecules is
greater.

The SI unit of temperature is Kelvin, K.

 Temperature higher = Average Kinetic Energy
Higher

The higher the temperature of an object, the faster

the motion of the particles within the object.
 Differences between Thermal Energy and
Temperature

THERMAL ENERGY TEMPERATURE

A form of Energy Degree of hotness of an object.

Unit: Kelvin (K)/ Degree Celsius

Unit: Joule (J)
(oC)

Sum of the kinetic energy and Average kinetic energy of the

potential energy of the particles. particles.

Derived quantity Base quantity

Thermal Equilibrium
Applications Of Thermal
Equilibrium
Oven

When food such as meat or cake is

put in the oven, the heat of the oven
is transferred into the food.

This process will continue until the

food is in thermal equilibrium with the
air in the oven.

This happen when the temperature of

the food is equal to the temperature
of the air in the oven.
Refrigerator

When food is put in the refrigerator,

the heat from the food is transferred
into the air of the refrigerator.

This process is continued until the

temperature of the food equal to the
temperature of the air in the
refrigerator, when thermal equilibrium
is reached between the food and the
refrigerator.
Thermometer

Thermometer is placed in contact

with the patients body.

If both the body temperature of the

patient and that of the mercury (or
alcohol) in the clinical thermometer
have reached thermal equilibrium,
then the temperature of the
thermometer is the same as the body
temperature, hence the reading of
the thermometer shows the body
temperature of the patient.
Liquid in Glass Thermometer
 Liquid in Glass Thermometer

Liquid in glass thermometer works on the principle that

liquid expands as the temperature increases and contracts
as the temperature decreases.

The most commonly used liquids in such thermometers are

A. Mercury
B. Alcohol
 State the advantageous and disadvantageous of using mercury
as the liquid in a liquid in glass thermometer.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Doesnt wet the wall of the capillary Freezing point = -39C. Not suitable to
tube. measure temperature lower than -39C.

Can be seen easily Poisonous

Expand uniformly when heated Expensive

Good heat conductor

 State the advantageous and disadvantageous of using alcohol
as the liquid in a liquid in glass thermometer.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Freezing point = -115C. Suitable for Transparent. Difficult to be seen. Need

measuring low temperature. to be coloured.

Always cling the wall of the capillary

Expands greater than mercury.
tube.

Has tendency to break the tube at high

temperature.
 State the characteristics of the liquid used in a liquid in glass
thermometer.

A. Easily visible
B. Good conductor of heat
C. Expand and contract rapidly over a
wide range of temperature
D. Does not cling to the wall of the
capillary tube of the thermometer.
 State and explain how
the sensitivity of a liquid
in glass thermometer
can be increased.

A. The sensitivity of a mercury thermometer can be increased by using

a smaller mercury bulb, thinner wall and smaller bore.
B. A smaller bulb contains less mercury and hence absorbs heat in
shorter time. As a result it can response faster to temperature
change.
C. A glass bulb with thinner wall can transfer heat to the bulb easier.
Therefore, the thermometer can response quickly to small changes
of temperature near the surrounding.
D. Capillary with narrow bore produces a greater change in the length
of the mercury column. Therefore a small change in temperature can
be detected easily.
 Calibrating a Thermometer

To calibrate a thermometer means to put the correct mark

of reading at the correct place so that other temperature
can be deduced from these marks.

To do this, two extreme points are chosen to mark its

scale and these points must be able to be reproduced
accurately.

Usually, we take the steam point of pure water as 100C

and the ice point of water as 0C.
 Calibrating a Thermometer

To calibrate a
To calibrate a
thermometer, the ice point
thermometer, the steam
of water is usually taken to
point is taken to be 100C
be 0C
 Calibrating a Thermometer

After determining
the position of the
ice point and
l 100
steam point, the
temperature of an
object can be
determined by l0 1000C
using the formula:
l
 Example 1:

The length of the mercury column in a non-calibrated

mercury thermometer is 2cm when its bulb is immerse in
melting ice and 20cm when the bulb is in steam above
boiling water. What would the temperature be is the length
of the mercury column is 11cm?
 Example 2:

The length of the alcohol column in a thermometer is

2.5cm and 17.5cm when the thermometer is dipped into a
melting ice and a boiling water respectively. Find the
distance between every 10C of the scale on the
thermometer.
 Absolute zero and the Kelvin
temperature scale
Absolute temperature is the temperature measured in Kelvin
scale, which it is a temperature reading made relative to
absolute zero.

We can convert a temperature in C to absolute temperature by

adding 273 to the temperature.

For example:
25C = 273 + 25 = 298 K
100C = 273 + 100 = 373 K

Absolute zero is the temperature where thermal energy is at

minimum. It is 0 on the Kelvin scale and -273 on the Celsius
scale.
Heat Capacity
 Heat Capacity

Heat capacity is the measure of the ability of an object to store

heat as its temperature changes.

It is the measure of the amount of heat required to change the

temperature of an object by 1C.

The SI unit of heat capacity is joules per Kelvin (J/K).

 Heat Capacity

The heat capacity of an object depends on the

type of the material the object is made and also
the mass of the object.

An object with larger mass has higher heat

capacity.

An object with higher heat capacity need more

heat supplied to change 1 unit of the
temperature.
 Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat that must be supplied to

the substance to increase the temperature by
10C for a mass of 1 kg of the substance.
This is the most famous formula.
Conversion of Energy
 Conversion Of Energy

Conversion of Gravitational Energy to Thermal

Energy

mgh = mc

This is from the principle of conservation of energy.

Energy is being transformed.
 Example 1:
The Angel Falls in Venezuela is 979 m in height. Calculate the
rise in temperature of the water when the water fall from the
top to the bottom. (Assume that all the potential energy loss of
the water is converted to heat) [The specific heat capacity of
water is 4200Jkg-1K-1]

The potential energy loss = mgh

The thermal energy gain of the water = mc

We assume that all the potential energy loss of the

water is converted to heat, hence

mc = mgh
c = gh
= gh/c
= (10)(979)/4200 = 2.3oC
 Example 2:
A mass m of lead shot is placed at the bottom of a vertical cardboard
cylinder. The cylinder is 1.0 m long and closed at both ends. The cylinder
is suddenly inverted so that the shot falls 1.0 m. By how much will the
temperature of the shot increase if this process is repeated 200 times?
Assume no heat loss to the surrounding. [The specific heat capacity of
lead is 130Jkg-1K-1]

Distance fall, h = 200 x 1m = 200m

Gravitational field strength, g = 10 m/s

mgh = mc
gh = c
= gh/c
= (10)(200)(130) = 15.4oC
 Conversion Of Energy

Conversion of Kinetic Energy to Thermal Energy

1/2mv2 = mc

This is from the principle of conservation of energy.

Energy is being transformed.
 Example 3:
A 2.5g lead bullet is moving at 200 m/s when it strikes a
wooden block and is brought to rest. If all the kinetic energy
is transferred to thermal energy in the bullet, find the rise in
temperature of the bullet. [The specific heat capacity of lead
is 130Jkg-1K-1]

v = 200m/s

1/2mv =
2mc
= v2/2c
= (200) /2(130) = 154 C
2 o
Conversion of Electrical Energy to
Thermal Energy

Electrical energy, E = Pt

If we assume that all the electrical energy

convert into thermal energy, then

Pt = mc

This is from the principle of conservation of energy.

Energy is being transformed.
 Example 4:
An electric heater supplies 2.5 kW of power in the form of
heat to a tank of 0.02m of water. How long will it take to heat
the water from 25 C to 70 C? Assume heat losses to the
surroundings to be negligible. [Density of water = 1000kg/m;
The specific heat capacity of water is 4200Jkg-1K-1]

P = 2500W
m = (0.02)(1000) =20kg
c = 4200Jkg-1K-1

Pt = mc
t= mc / P
t = (20)(4200)(7025) / 2500
t = 1512s
Thermal Energy Gain And
Loss
 When 2 objects/substances are in thermal
contact, there will be a net flow of thermal energy
from the object/substance with higher temperature
to the object/substance with lower temperature. If
we assume there is no thermal energy loss to the
surrounding

Thermal energy loss = Thermal energy gain

m1c11 = m2c22
 Example 1:

A 0.5 kg block of aluminium at a temperature of 100 C is

placed in 1.0 kg of water at 20 C. Assuming that no thermal
energy is lost to the surroundings, what will be the final
temperature of the aluminium and water when they come to
the same temperature? [The specific heat capacity of water
is 4200 Jkg-1K-1 and The specific heat capacity of aluminium
is 900 Jkg-1K-1]
 Let's say the final
temperature for both
aluminium block and
water =
m1c11 = m2c22
For aluminium,
m1 = 0.5 kg (0.5)(900)(100) = (1)(4200)(20)
c1 = 900 Jkg-1K-1
1 = 100 C - 45000 450 = 4200 84000
45000 + 84000 = 4200 + 450
For water, 4650 = 129000
m2 = 1.0kg = 27.7oC
c2 = 4200 Jkg-1K-1
2 = - 20 C
 Example 2:

What will be the final temperature if 50 g of water at 0 C is

added to 250 g of water at 90 C?

For water at 90 C,
m1c1 = m2c2
m1 = 250g
c1 = c2 = c
m11 = m22
1 = 90 C -
(250)(90) = (50)()
22500250 = 50
For water at 0 C,
22500 = 50 + 250
m2 = 50g
300=22500
2 = - 0 C =
= 22500/300 = 75oC
 Example 3:

How much water at 10 C is needed to cool 500 g of water at

90 C down to 30 C?

For water at 90 C,
m1 = 500g m1c1 = m2c2
c1 = c2 = c
1 = 90 - 30 = 60 C m11 = m22

For water at 10 C, (500)(60) = m2(20)

m2 = ? 30000 = 20m2
2 = 30 - 10 = 20 C m2 = 30000/20 = 1500g
Applications of Specific Heat
Capacity
Example: metal.
Example: Water / Plastic.
 1. Different part of a cooking pot are made up of different
Cooking Pot material.
2. The base of a cooking pot is usually made up of copper
because
copper has low specific heat capacity so that it need less
heat to raise up the temperature.
copper is a good heat conductor.
Plastic handle copper has high density. The heavier base can make the
pot become more stable.
Copper base 3. The handles of cooking pot is usually made up of plastic
or wood because
plastic and wood have high specific heat capacity. Their
temperature wont become too high even it absorbs
large amount of heat.
plastic and wood are good heat insulator.
plastic and wood have low density hence they do not
add much to the total weight of the pot.
4. The body of the cooking pot is usually made up of
stainless steel because
steel has low specific heat capacity and hence need
need less heat to raise up the temperature.
Stainless stell
steel does not react chemically with the food.
body
 1. Water is used to cool down the car
Car Engine engine.
2. Water is used as the cooling agent
in the car cooling system because
it has high specific heat capacity.
It can absorb a large amount of
heat without a high increase in
temperature.
it is cheap and can be obtained
easily.
3. Water is pumped through the
channels in the engine block to
absorb heat.
4. The hot water flows to the radiator
and is cooled by the air flows
through the fins of the radiator.
5. The cool water flows back to the
engine again to capture more heat
and this cycle is repeated
continuously.
Factories With Low Ceiling

1. Some factories without large

machinery are constructed
with low ceilings to reduce the
volume of air inside the
building.
2. The smaller mass of air will
have a smaller heat capacity.
3. As a result, less heat needs to
be removed to reduce the
temperature of the air.
4. This will then reduce the air
conditioning costs for the
factory.
Thermal Radiator

1. Thermal radiators are always

used in cold country to warm
the house.
2. Hot water is made to flow
through a radiator. The heat
given out from the radiator is
then warm the air of the
house.
3. The cold water is then flows
back to the water tank. This
process is repeated
continuously.
4. Water is used in the radiator
because it has high specific
heat capacity.
Phenomena Related to
Specific Heat Capacity
Sea Breeze

1. Land has lower heat capacity than sea water. Therefore, in day
time, the temperature of the land increases faster than the sea.
2. Hot air (lower density) above the land rises. Cooler air from the
sea flows towards land and hence produces sea breeze.
Land Breeze

1. Land has lower heat capacity than sea water. During night time,
the temperature of the land drops faster than the sea.
2. Hot air (lower density) above the sea rises. Cooler air from the
land blows towards sea and hence produces land breeze.
 Moderate
Climate

1. Places with the presence of lakes, sea and ocean may have more
moderate climate.
2. This is because, water has large specific heat capacity.
3. During daytime when it is hot, the water from the lake/sea absorbs heat
from the surroundings. This helps to reduce the temperature of the
surroundings.
4. During night-time, the water releases the heat absorbed during daytime,
and hence prevents the temperature from dropping too much.
5. As such, palcess near a large mass of water will have a smaller range of
temperatures and hence a more moderate climate condition.
Latent Heat
 Latent Heat
The latent heat is the heat absorbed or given out at constant
temperature during the change of state of matter.

1. When a solid melt, heat is absorbed but the

temperature remains constant.
2. When a liquid is boiling, heat is also absorbed but the
temperature again remains constant.
3. The heat absorbed or given out at constant temperature
during the change of phase is known as latent heat.
4. The heat energy that releases during condensation or
boiling is called the latent heat of vaporization.
5. The heat energy that releases during freezing or melting
is called the latent heat of fusion.
 State: Solid State: Liquid The Heating Curve
Temp: Increases Temp: Increases

Solid heated to its Liquid heated to its

melting point boiling point

State: Gaseous
Temp: Increases

The temperature of
the gas will increase to
the temperature of the
source

State: Solid & Liquid State: Liquid & Gas

Temp: Unchanged Temp: Unchanged

Solid heated to its melting point Solid heated to its melting point
 State: Gaseous
Temp: Decreases The Cooling Curve
State: Liquid & Gas
The temp decreases as Temp: Unchanged
heat is released to the
surrounding.

State: Liquid
Temp: Decreases

The liquid is cooled to

its freezing point.

State: Solid & Liquid State: Solid

Temp: Unchanged Temp: Decreases
The solid is cooled to the
Solid heated to its melting point room temperature.
 The common characteristics of the four processes in the
change of phase

A substance undergoes a change of phase at a particular

temperature.

Heat energy is transferred during change of phase.

During change of phase, the temperature remains constant

even though there is transfer of heat.
Notes: The temperature of a substance is proportional to the average
kinetic energy of its particles.

Temperature increases when the average kinetic energy of the

particles increase.
Temperature decreases when the average kinetic energy of the
particle decreases.
Temperature remains constant when the average kinetic energy does
not change.
Why does the temperature remains constant during change of phase?

During change of phase, the transfer of heat does not cause a

change in the kinetic energy of the molecules.

During melting, the heat absorbed is used to break up the bonds

between the particles. The particles are freed from their fixed
positions and are able to vibrate and move among each other.

When a liquids boils, the heat absorbed is used to completely break

the bonds between the particles and also to do work against
atmospheric pressure when the gaseous vapour expands into the
atmosphere.
Latent Heat
 Specific Latent Heat

1. The specific latent heat of a substance is the amount of heat requires

to change the phase of 1 kg of substance at a constant temperature.
2. Specific latent heat is measured in J/kg, if energy is measured in J and
mass in kg. For example, specific latent heat of ice is 334000J/kg
means 334000 J of energy is needed to convert 1kg of water into ice or
vice versa.

L=Q/m
L = Specific Latent Heat
Q= Heat Energy
m = Mass
 Specific Latent Heat

1. The specific latent heat of vaporization is the heat

needed to change 1 kg of a liquid at its boiling point
into vapour without a change in temperature.

2. The specific latent heat of fusion is the heat needed to

change 1 kg of a solid at its melting point into a liquid,
without a change in temperature.

3. If any solid is to become a liquid, it must gain the

necessary latent heat. Equally, if a liquid is to change
back into a solid, it must lose this latent heat.
 Specific latent heat of fusion of ice is 336 000 Jkg-1
- 336 000 J of latent heat is needed for 1kg ice to melt to
become water at 0 0C.

Specific latent heat of vaporization of water is 2.26 x 106 Jkg-1

- 2.26 x 106 J of latent heat is needed for 1kg water to boil to
become vapour at 100 0C.
 Measuring The Specific
Latent Heat Of Fusing Of Ice
 Measuring the Specific
Latent Heat of Fusing of
Ice

1. Figure above shows the apparatus setup to determine the specific

latent heat of fusion of ice. Some ice at 0 C is heated by a small
electric heater which is left switched on for several minutes.
2. Some of the ice melts to form water which runs down through the
funnel and is collected in the beaker.
3. The mass of ice (m) melted is found by measuring the mass of water
collected.
4. If the power of the heater is P and the time taken to heat the ice = t,
then the thermal energy supplied by the heater = thermal energy used
to melt ice = Pt.
5. Therefore, the specific latent heat of fusion of ice
L = Pt / m
 Measuring the Specific
Latent Heat of Fusing of
Ice

Precaution Steps:
1. The heating element of the heater must fully immerse in ice so that all
the heat generated is absorbed by the ice.
2. A control set is needed to estimate the amount of mass of ice melted by
the heat from the surrounding.

Note:
1. The heat received by ice is less than the calculated value Pt as some
heat is lost to the surrounding. This will result in the value of l obtained
from the calculation to be slightly higher than the standard value.
2. If impurity is present in water, the melting point of the water will be lower
than normal.
Application of Specific Latent
Heat
Drinks can be cooled by adding in several cubes of ice. When ice
melts a large amount of heat is absorbed and and this lowers the
temperature of the drink.
 The freshness of fish and meat can be maintained by placing them in
contact with ice. With its larger latent heat, ice is able to absorb a large
quantity of heat from the fish as it melts. Thus, food can kept at a low
temperature for an extended period of time.
 Water has a large specific latent heat of vaporisation. This property
enables steam to be used for cooking by the method of steaming. When
steam condenses on the food, the latent heat is released directly onto
the food enables the food to be cooked at a faster rate.
Our bodies feel cool after sweating. This is because latent heat of
vaporisation is absorbed from the body when sweat evaporates.
As a result, the body is cooled by the removal of heat.
 Always be very careful when opening the lid of a pot when the water in
it is boiling. Water has a large specific latent heat of vaporization. When
steam condenses on the skin of your arm, the very large amount of
latent heat released can cause a serious burn.
Measuring The Specific Latent
Heat Of Vaporisation Of Water
 Measuring the Specific
Latent Heat of
Vaporization of Water

1. Figure above shows the apparatus used. When the water in the can is
boiling vigorously, the mass reading on the balance is noted and a
stopwatch started. A few minutes later, the stopwatch is stopped and
the mass reading is taken again.
2. The difference in the mass readings gives the mass of water which
has been changed into steam during the time measured.
3. Therefore, the specific latent heat of vaporisation of water can be
calculated by the following equation
l = Pt / m
 Measuring the Specific
Latent Heat of
Vaporization of Water

Note:
1. The boiling point of a liquid is proportional to the air
pressure of the surrounding. The higher the air pressure, the
higher the boiling point.
2. At higher altitude, the atmospheric pressure is lower.
Therefore the boiling point of a liquid will decrease at higher
altitude.
 Pressure Cooker

1. Pressure cooker can cook faster than normal cooker.

2. The high gas pressure inside the pressure cooker
increases the boiling point of the liquid in the pressure
cooker.
3. As a result, the food is cooked under higher
temperature. More heat is supplied to the food, hence
make cooking faster.
4. The function of the safety valve is to release extra steam
to the surrounding and consequently reduce the
pressure in the pressure cooker when it is too high.
Evaporation
 Evaporation

1. Evaporation is the process of converting a substance (such as water)

from its liquid state to its gaseous state at temperature lower than the
boiling point of the liquid.
2. There are several ways of making a liquid evaporate faster:
Increase its temperature
Increase its surface area
Pass air through it or across its surface
Make the liquid into a fine spray
A spray is made up of millions of tiny liquid droplets with a very
large total surface area. The highly curved surfaces make it easier
for molecules to escape.
 Evaporation vs
Boiling

Boiling and evaporation involve a change in state from liquid

to gas.

A liquid boils at a definite temperature called boiling point

whereas evaporation occurs at all temperature.

Evaporation takes place only from the exposed surface of

the liquid, while boiling occurs throughout the body of the
liquid.
 Evaporation vs Boiling

Evaporation and boiling require latent

heat of evaporation.
 Cooling by Evaporation

1. Blowing air into a liquid will cause the

liquid evaporate faster.
2. During evaporation, latent heat is
absorbed from the liquid (as a
surrounding) causing the temperature
of the liquid decreases.
 Applications of Cooling by Evaporation:
Refrigerator

1. The cooling effect in many refrigerators is produced

by the evaporation of a volatile liquid called Freon.
2. The liquid Freon evaporates rapidly in the pipes in
the freezer compartment as more and more of its
vapour is drawn away by the electric pump. As the
Freon evaporates, it draws the necessary latent heat
from the food inside the refrigerator.
3. The pump compresses the vapour which turns liquid
again on being forced through the zig-zag pipe at the
back of the refrigerator. The latent heat released is
given off through the cooling fins.
4. In this way, thermal energy is extracted from the food
inside the refrigerator and given out at the back. A
refrigerator actually makes your kitchen warmer.
 Example 1:

How much heat energy is required to change 2 kg of ice at 0C into

water at 20C? [Specific latent heat of fusion of water = 334 000 J/kg;
specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J/(kg K).]

m = 2kg
Specific latent heat of fusion of water, L = 334 000 J/kg
specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J/(kg K)

Energy needed to melt 2kg of ice,

Q1 = mL = (2)(334000) = 668000J

Energy needed to change the temperature from 0C to C.

Q2 = mc = (2)(4200)(20 - 0) = 168000J

Total energy needed = Q1 + Q2 = 668000 + 168000 = 836000J

 Example 2:

Starting at 20C, how much heat is required to heat 0.3 kg of

aluminum to its melting point and then to convert it all to liquid?
[Specific heat capacity of aluminium = 900J kg-1 C-1; Specific latent
heat of aluminium = 321,000 Jkg-1, Melting point of aluminium =
660C]

m = 0.3kg
Specific latent heat of fusion of aluminium, L = 321 000 J/kg
specific heat capacity of aluminium = 900 J/(kg K)

Energy needed to increase the temperature from 20C to 660C

Q1 = mc = (0.3)(900)(660 - 20) = 172,800J

Energy needed to melt 0.3kg of aluminium,

Q2 = mL = (0.3)(321000) = 96,300J

Total energy needed = Q1 + Q2 = 172,800 + 96,300 = 269,100J

 Example 3:
How much heat must be removed by a refrigerator from 2 kg of water at
70 C to convert it to ice cubes at -11C? [Specific heat capacity of water
= 4200J kg-1 C-1; Specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 334,000 Jkg-1,
specific heat capacity of ice = 2100 J/(kg K)]

m = 2kg
Energy needed to freeze 2kg of
Specific latent heat of fusion of
water,
water, L = 334,000 J/kg
Q2 = mL = (2)(334,000) = 668,000J
Specific heat capacity of water,
cw = 4,200 J/(kg K)
Energy to be removed to reduce the
Specific heat capacity of ice,
temperature from 0C to -11C
ci = 2,100 J/(kg K)
Q3 = mc = (2)(2100)(0 - (-11)) =
46,200J
Energy to be removed to reduce
the temperature from 70C to 0C
Total energy needed = Q1 + Q2 + Q3
(Freezing point of water)
= 588,000 + 668,000 + 46,200J =
Q1 = mc = (2)(4200)(70 - 0) =
1,302,200J
588,000J
Gas Law
 Kinetic Theory Of Gases

The kinetic theory of gases explains the the

relationship between the pressure, temperature and
volume of gases base on the following assumptions:
1. The gas consists of very small particles, each of which
has a mass.
2. These particles are in constant, random motion.
3. The rapidly moving particles constantly collide with each
other and with the walls of the container. All these
collisions are perfectly elastic.
4. There are forces of attraction between particles of
matter. These attraction forces will increase as the
distance between the particles becomes closer.
5. The average kinetic energy of the gas particles depends
only on the temperature of the system. The higher the
temperature, the higher the kinetic energy of the
particles.
 Boyles Law

Boyle's law states that the pressure of a

gas with constant mass is inversely
proportional to its volume provided the
temperature of the gas is kept constant.

P 1/V
P = k/V
PV = k

Formula:
P1V1 = P2V2
 Boyles Law

Explanation :

1. When the volume of gas decreases, the number

of gas particles per unit volume increases.
2. As a result, the frequency of collision between the
air particles and the wall of the container
increases.
3. As such, the pressure of the gas increases.
 Boyles Law

In the graphs above, the first graph shows that P is inversely proportional to
V.
The second graph shows that P is directly proportional to 1/V.
The third and the forth graphs shows that PV is always constant for all value
of V and P.
 Pressure Law

Pressure law states that for a fixed mass of gas, the pressure of
the gas is directly proportional to the absolute temperature of the
gas provided the volume of the gas is kept constant.

PT

P = kT

P/T=k

Formula:
P1 / T1 = P2 / T2
 Pressure Law

Explanation :

1. The kinetic energy of gas molecules increases

with temperature.
2. The air molecules collide with the wall of the
container at higher velocity and frequency.
3. The pressure in the gas increases, causing an
increase in volume.
 Pressure Law

In the graphs above, the first graph shows that P is directly proportional to
the absolute temperature.
The second graph shows that, if the temperature is in C, the graph does not
pass through the origin.
The third and the forth graphs shows that P/T is always constant for all value
of P and T.
 The sealed cylinder below, the
Solution:
pressure of gas is recorded as 1.0 x
p/T5 = constant
10 N/m2 at a temperature of 0C. The
cylinder is heated further till the
therefore, p1/T1 = p2/T2
thermometer records 150C. What is
the pressure
5 2 of the gas?
p1 = 1.0 x 10 N/m
T1 = 0C = 0+273 = 273K
(remember to convert from Celsius
to Kelvin)
T2 = 150C = 150+273 = 423K
p1/T1 = p2/T2
p2 =?
p2 = (p1x T2) / T1

p1/T1 = p2/T2
p2 = (1.0 x 105 x 423) / 273
= 1.54 x 105 N/m2
p2 = p1x T2
T1
 Charles Law

Charles law states that for a fixed

mass of gas, the volume of the gas is
directly proportional to the absolute
temperature of the gas provided the
pressure of the gas is kept constant.

VT
V = kT
V/T=k

Formula:
V1 / T1 = V2 / T2
 Charles Law
Explanation :

1. When temperature increases, the average kinetic

energy of the gas particles will increase.
2. The air molecule move faster and collide with the
wall of the container more vigorously at higher
frequency.
3. As a result, the space between the gas particles
increases and the volume of the gas increases.
Charles Law
 Charles Law

In the graphs above, the first graph shows that V is directly proportional to
the absolute temperature.
The second graph shows that, if the temperature is in oC, the graph does not
pass through the origin.
The third and the forth graphs shows that V/T is always constant for all value
of V and T.
 A fish releases a bubble of air of volume 1cm at the bottom of a lake.
The depth of the lake is 10m. Find the volume of the bubble when it
reaches the surface of the pond. (Assume that the atmospheric pressure
is equal to 10m of water).

V1 = 1cm
P1V1 = P2V2
P1 = 20m water
(20)(1) = (10)V2
V2 = ?
V2 = 20/10 = 2cm3
P2 = 10m water
 An iron cylinder containing gas with pressure 200kPa when it is kept is a
room of temperature 27C. What is the pressure of the gas when the
cylinder is located outdoor where the temperature is 35C.

P1 = 200kPa P1/T1 = P2 /T2

T1 = 273 + 27 = 300K (200000) / (300) = P2 / (308)
P2 = ? P2 = (308)(200000) / (300) =
T2 = 273 + 35 = 308K 205kPa
The figure shows some air trapped in a
capillary tube. Given that the
temperature of the air is 27C. Find the
length of the air column when the
temperature of the air is increased to
87C.

V1 = Area x 6cm
V1 / T1 = V2 / T2
T1 = 273 + 27 = 300K
(6) / (300) = V2 / (360)
V2 = ? V2 = (360)(6)/(300) = 7.2cm
T2 = 273 + 87 = 360K
Gas Law Summary
Gas Law
Summary
Practice Questions