A gas bubble with a volume of 3 milliliters (ml) originates at the bottom of a lake where the pressure is 4.0 atmospheres (atm). What will the bubble's volume be when it reaches the surface, assuming the temperature doesn't change?
To determine the bubble's volume when it reaches the surface, we can apply Boyle's Law, which states that at a constant temperature, the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional.
Boyle's Law equation is: P1 × V1 = P2 × V2
Where:
P1 = initial pressure (4.0 atm)
V1 = initial volume (3 ml)
P2 = final pressure (atmospheric pressure at the surface, approximately 1 atm)
V2 = final volume (what we need to find)
Now we can rearrange the equation to solve for V2:
V2 = (P1 × V1) / P2
Substituting the values we have:
V2 = (4.0 atm × 3 ml) / 1 atm
Calculating this:
V2 = 12 ml
Therefore, the bubble's volume will be 12 milliliters (ml) when it reaches the surface, assuming the temperature remains constant.