State Charles' law. - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question (d) - 2004

Charles' Law states that the volume of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature (in Kelvin) when the pressure is held constant. This relationship can be mathematically expressed as:

$V \propto T$

or more specifically,

$\frac{V_1}{T_1} = \frac{V_2}{T_2}$

where:

• $V$ is the volume of the gas,
• $T$ is the absolute temperature in Kelvin.

This means that for a definite mass of gas at constant pressure, an increase in temperature will result in an increase in volume, and vice versa. The law illustrates the behavior of gases as they respond to changes in temperature.