A pressure of 2 KPa is acting on a gas with a volume of 60 liters. If the pressure decreases to 1 kPa, what volume will the gas occupy?
To find the new volume of the gas when the pressure decreases, we can use the concept of Boyle's Law. Boyle's Law states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume when the temperature remains constant.
The mathematical equation representing Boyle's Law is: P₁V₁ = P₂V₂
Where:
P₁ = initial pressure
V₁ = initial volume
P₂ = final pressure
V₂ = final volume
Given:
P₁ = 2 kPa
V₁ = 60 liters
P₂ = 1 kPa (the decreased pressure)
Now we can rearrange the equation to solve for V₂:
V₂ = (P₁ * V₁) / P₂
Substituting the given values:
V₂ = (2 kPa * 60 liters) / 1 kPa
To simplify the calculation, we convert kPa to Pa (Pascal) since the units need to be consistent:
1 kPa = 1000 Pa
V₂ = (2 * 1000 Pa * 60 liters) / (1 * 1000 Pa)
V₂ = 120000 Pa * liters / 1000 Pa
V₂ = 120 liters
Therefore, when the pressure decreases to 1 kPa, the gas will occupy a volume of 120 liters.