Ideal Gas Law – PhET Simulation

Introduction
In this simulation you will look at the motion of gas particles to describe the relationships that exist
between pressure, volume, temperature, number and type of atoms in a contained gas.

Procedure
1. Open: http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/index.php?cat=Heat_and_Thermo
2. Select - gas properties simulation – run now!
3. Select constant volume
3. Pump handle just a little bit – wait for pressure to stabilize (gas well
mixed) Note temperature and pressure
Add more atoms by pumping some more. What happens to the temperature and pressure?

The temperature became 300 K and the pressure kept changing. (2 pumps)

Explain your answers in terms of mechanics of the gas atoms

The temperature became 300 K and remains 300 K but the pressure kept changing around 11.3 – 12.1 atm.

Sketch a graph of how you think the pressure of the gas in the container depends on the number of
atoms in the container.

Describe a real world situation that would be described by the graph you drew.

Relationship between pressure and number of atom is directly proportional

4. Press reset.
5. Put 40 “heavy species” atoms in the chamber at constant volume. Note the temperature and gas
pressure when well mixed.
Press Reset
Put 40 “Light species” atoms in the chamber at constant volume. Note the temperature and gas pressure
when well mixed.

Compare the temperature and pressure for equal numbers of heavy or light gas atoms in the container

40 heavy species: temperature remains 300 K and the pressure keeps changing.
40 light species: temperature remains 289 K and the pressure keeps changing.
The heavy species have higher temperature than the light species and they both almost have the same pressure, but the heavy species
slightly have higher pressure. The light species also moves a lot faster than the heavy species.
 Explain your answers in terms of mechanics of the gas atoms

40 heavy species: temperature remains 300 K and the pressure keeps changing around 4.3 – 5.0 atm

40 light species: temperature remains 289 K and the pressure keeps changing around 4.1 – 4.9 atm

6. Press reset
7. Select constant volume
8. Put 100 gas atoms in the container – wait for pressure to stabilize.
9. Now select constant pressure
10. Pull arrow on heat control down, removing heat from the container. What happens to the
temperature and volume?
The temperature decreased and the volume became smaller/decreased

Explain your answers in terms of mechanics of the gas atoms

The temperature was at 300 K and the pressure keeps changing around 11.3 – 12.1 atm. After changing the setting to constant
pressure, the pressure remains at 11.7 atm. When heat was added, the volume increases and the temperature keeps rising. When heat was
removed and cool was added, the volume decreases and the temperature keeps decreasing.

Sketch a graph of how you think the volume of the gas in the container depends on the temperature of
the gas in the container.

T (oK)

Describe a real world situation that would be described by the graph you drew.

Relationship between volume and temperature is directly proportional

11. Press reset

12. Select constant volume
13. Put 100 gas atoms in the container – wait for pressure to stabilize.
14. Pull arrow on heat control down or up, removing or adding heat to the container. What happens to
the temperature and pressure?

When heat was added, the temperature and the pressure kept rising. When cool was added, the temperature and the pressure keeps
decreasing.

Explain your answers in terms of mechanics of the gas atoms

The temperature starts at 300 K. When heat was added, the temperature and pressure kept rising. That happens because when heat was
added, it became hotter and the particle moves even faster which makes the pressure increased. But when ices were added, the temperature and
pressure kept decreasing. That happens because it became colder, so the particles moves even slowly which makes the pressure decreased.
 Sketch a graph of how you think the pressure of the gas in the container depends on the temperature of
the gas in the container.

T (oK)

Describe a real world situation that would be described by the graph you drew.

Relationship between pressure and temperature is directly proportional

15. Press reset

16. Select constant temperature
17. Put 100 gas atoms in the container – wait for pressure to stabilize.
18. Click on the handle on the container and make the container smaller. What happens to
the volume and pressure?

The volume decreases and the pressure became higher than previous condition.

Explain your answers in terms of mechanics of the gas atoms

The temperature remains at 300 K (because it’s constant), and the volume decreased (because we made the container smaller). The
pressure became higher than previous condition. The pressure will increases if we made the container even smaller. That happens because the
smaller the container is, the particles will move frequently.

Sketch a graph of how you think the pressure of the gas in the container depends on the volume of
the container.

Describe a real world situation that would be described by the graph you drew.

Relationship between pressure and volume is inversely proportional