Chemistry – Gas Laws Practice Test

Boyle's Law describes the inverse relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas when the temperature is held constant. According to this law, if the pressure on a gas increases, the volume must decrease to maintain equilibrium, provided that the temperature does not change. Mathematically, Boyle's Law is represented as \( P_1 V_1 = P_2 V_2 \), where \( P \) represents pressure and \( V \) represents volume. If you increase the pressure (P2 > P1), to satisfy the equation, the volume must decrease (V2 < V1). This is because the amount of gas particles remains constant, and as pressure is applied, the particles are forced closer together, resulting in a smaller volume. This fundamental principle is supported by numerous real-world observations, such as when squeezing a balloon: as you apply pressure, the balloon's volume decreases. Thus, when the pressure on a gas increases at constant temperature, the volume indeed decreases.