What will happen to the volume of a gas in a closed container if you increase the external pressure when the temperature remains constant?
If the container is closed, as the problem states, increasing the pressure on the outside of the container will not have an effect on the gas inside as long as the container stays intact. Or perhaps Ive misinterpreted the problem.
As pressure goes up and temperature is held constant, the volume of a gas decreases.
When you increase the external pressure on a gas in a closed container, while keeping the temperature constant, the volume of the gas will decrease. This is explained by Boyle's Law, which states that there is an inverse relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas when the temperature remains constant.
To understand why this happens, we need to consider the behavior of gas molecules. Gas molecules have kinetic energy, meaning they are constantly moving and colliding with each other and the walls of the container. When the external pressure is increased, it compresses the gas molecules and makes them collide more frequently with the walls of the container.
As a result of more frequent collisions with the walls, the gas molecules occupy a smaller space in the container. This leads to a decrease in the volume of the gas. Conversely, if the external pressure is decreased, the gas molecules have more space to move around and the volume of the gas will increase.
It's important to note that this relationship between pressure and volume, described by Boyle's Law, is only applicable when the temperature remains constant. If the temperature were to change, it would affect the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules, and other gas laws like Charles's Law or the Combined Gas Law would need to be considered.