Explain how temperature, pressure, and volume are related in Boyle's law.
According to Boyle's law, temperature, pressure, and volume are related in an inverse proportion. This means that if one variable increases, the other variables will decrease, and vice versa.
Specifically, Boyle's law states that for a fixed amount of gas at a constant temperature:
- If the pressure of the gas increases, the volume will decrease. Similarly, if the pressure decreases, the volume will increase. This relationship can be expressed as P₁V₁ = P₂V₂, where P₁ and V₁ represent the initial pressure and volume, and P₂ and V₂ represent the final pressure and volume.
- If the volume of the gas increases, the pressure will decrease. Conversely, if the volume decreases, the pressure will increase. This relationship can be expressed as P₁V₁ = P₂V₂, where P₁ and V₁ represent the initial pressure and volume, and P₂ and V₂ represent the final pressure and volume.
It is important to note that this relationship holds true only if the temperature remains constant. If the temperature changes, then Boyle's law does not apply accurately. Boyle's law is often represented mathematically as PV = constant, representing the inverse relationship between pressure and volume.