CHEM 1701 – Lab 7 – Gas Laws

Chemistry I for Pre-Health Sciences (online)

____/33 marks (6% of final grade)

Rationale
The purpose of this lab is to explore the gas laws and their application in a healthcare context.

Learning outcomes
The following learning objectives are covered in this lab.
 CLO 5: Apply the gas laws to relate the properties of pressure, volume and temperature of gases.
 CLO 6: Prepare for and conduct laboratory experiments to investigate scientific questions using
appropriate techniques.
 CLO 7: Examine the relationships between chemistry and the health of the human body.

Handing in your lab

When complete, submit your work to the appropriate folder in DC Connect under Assignments.

Required materials:

 bottle with a small opening (opening must be smaller than the size of a dime)
 dime
 large bowl
 ice and water

NOTE – You may substitute any of the above items with similar objects that are available to you. There is no
need to purchase any materials for this lab.

Gas Law Formula Relationship

A gas law that describes the pressure and volume behavior of a gas
Boyle’s law P1V1 = P2V2 sample kept at constant temperature.

V1 V2 A gas law that describes the temperature and volume behavior of a

Charles’s law = gas sample kept at constant pressure.
T1 T2 T is always in K.

Gay-Lusacc’s P1 P2 A gas law that describes the pressure and temperature behavior of a
=
law T1 T2 gas sample kept at constant volume. T is always in K.

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Experiment 1 – The Bottle and the Dime [9 marks]
Background: In this experiment, you will examining the relationship between the pressure and temperature
of a gas under a constant volume. A “closed container” like a bottle with a lid on it has a constant volume. No
air can get in or out.

Procedure & Observations

1. Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and enough water to cover the ice. Place any bottle in
the ice water bath for 3 minutes as shown in the image to the right.
2. After 3 minutes, remove the bottle from the ice water bath. Working quickly, place a little water around
the rim of the bottle. Then place a dime on the bottle opening so it seals the bottle.
3. Warm the bottle by holding it between your hands for 1 minute.

4. [1 mark] Record your observations in the space below. In 1-2 sentences, explain what happened to the
dime after you warm the bottle up with your hands.

Data & Analysis

1. [1 mark] This demonstration shows the relationship between gas temperature and gas pressure.
Therefore, this experiment demonstrates ________________ law.

2. [2 marks] In 1-2 sentences, describe the effect of temperature on air pressure (i.e. what happens to the
air particles in the ice water bath and when the bottle is warmed up with your hands)

Ice water bath Warming in hands

3. [2 marks] Using the template below, draw how the air particles behave on the molecular level for each
scenario.

Cooled bottle Warm bottle

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 4. [3 marks] Fill in the blanks below. Use the words increases, decreases, directly proportional, or
inversely proportional to complete the question.

As temperature ___________________, pressure ___________________.

Therefore, the relationship between the variables is ___________________.

Experiment 2 – Balloon Bonanza [11 marks]

Background: In this experiment, you will observe the effect of temperature on the volume of the balloon under
constant pressure.

Procedure: Watch the video below and answer the questions that follow.

Video [stop at 3:36]: https://youtu.be/NplVuTrr59U

Data & Analysis

1. [1 mark] This demonstration shows the relationship between gas temperature and gas volume. Therefore,
this experiment demonstrates _____________ law.

2. [1 mark] In 1-2 sentences, record your observations in the space below of what happened to the balloon
while in the beaker of hot water?

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3. [3 marks] Use the template below to draw how the air particles in the balloon behave on the molecular
level at each temperature.

Room temperature balloon Balloon in hot water Balloon in freezer

4. [2 marks] Look up the boiling point of water in oC. Convert this value to Kelvin. Show your work and
include the link to the reference used in your research.

5. [1 mark] You are in a party store buying a birthday balloon. Using the observations from this experiment,
predict what would happen to the volume of the balloon when you walk it to your car in the winter when it is
cold outside.

6. [3 marks] Fill in the blanks below. Use the words increases, decreases, directly proportional, or inversely
proportional to complete the question.

As temperature ________________, volume _______________. Therefore, the relationship between

temperature and gas volume is _______________.

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Health Connection Questions [13 marks]
Respiration is driven by Boyle’s law. The process is shown in the diagram below.

Inspiration Expiration

diaphragm moves down diaphragm moves up

1. [4 marks] Use the diagram to fill in the blanks below. Include proper units.

a. What is the external pressure in each case? _____________

b. What is the internal pressure during inspiration? _____________

c. What is the internal pressure during expiration? _____________

d. What is the difference between the internal and external pressure in each case? ___________

2. [4 marks] Use the words up, down, increases, decreases, in or out to fill in the blanks below.

a. Inspiration causes the diaphragm to move ________. This is shown in the image on the left. When
this happens, the size of the thoracic cage ____________________ and internal pressure
____________________. As a result, and air moves ______.

b. Expiration causes the diaphragm to move ________. This is shown in the image on the right.
When this happens, the size of the thoracic cage ____________________ and internal pressure
____________________. As a result, air moves _____.

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3. You are working as a paramedic and arrive at a 911 call to find a patient unconscious with labored
breathing. One intervention you decide is to administer oxygen immediately. It has been a busy
night though and you are concerned you may need to use the oxygen tank again on the next call.

The oxygen in the tank is under high pressure. The oxygen tank in the ambulance has a physical
volume of 4.7 L and an internal pressure of 13,700 kPa. The external pressure (the pressure 4.7 L
outside of the cylinder) is atmospheric pressure, 101.3 kPa.

a. Use the information above to identify the variables P1, V1 and P2.

Internal conditions External conditions

P1 = P2 =

V1 = V2 = ???

b. [3 marks] Using the data in part a, solve for the volume of the oxygen tank at atmospheric
pressure. Show your work including the gas law equation and substituting the variables into the
equation. Include the correct units and significant digits.

c. [2 marks] If the average basal rate of oxygen consumption for an adult is 15 L/hour, then
calculate how many hours of oxygen use will you get from the 4.7 L tank? Round your answer to
1 decimal place.

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