
Henry's Law, formulated by English chemist William Henry in the 19th century, is a gas law that explains the solubility of a gas in a liquid solution. It states that the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. The proportionality factor is known as Henry's Law Constant and can be expressed in two ways: the solubility constant (H) and the volatility constant (kH). The solubility constant is used when defined in terms of solubility/pressure, while the volatility constant is used when the proportionality constant is expressed in terms of pressure/solubility.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Henry's Law Constant | Can be expressed in two ways: the solubility constant (H) and the volatility constant (kH) |
| Applicability | Only when molecules of a system are in a state of equilibrium |
| Nature of the Gas | Different gases have different Henry's law constants in the solvent |
| Temperature and Pressure of the System | The kH value is given differently for gas at different temperatures |
| Composition of the Solution | The solubility of a gas decreases with increasing salinity ("salting out") |
| Mole Fraction | When pressure remains constant, the Henry's law constant will be inversely proportional to the mole fraction of the gas |
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What You'll Learn
- Henry's Law constant can be expressed in two ways
- Henry's Law is only applicable when molecules are in equilibrium
- The solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid
- The law can be used to calculate the concentration of gas in mines
- The law was formulated by English chemist William Henry in the 19th century

Henry's Law constant can be expressed in two ways
Henry's Law constant, also known as the proportionality factor, can be expressed in two ways. It was formulated by the English chemist William Henry in the early 19th century.
Firstly, the constant can be defined in terms of solubility and pressure. Henry's Law states that the amount of gas that is dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. In other words, the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above it. This can be expressed as:
> C = kP
Where:
- C is the solubility of a gas at a fixed temperature in a particular solvent
- K is Henry's Law constant
- P is the partial pressure of the gas
Secondly, Henry's Law constant can be expressed in terms of the mole fraction of a gas in solution. This can be represented as:
> k = P / x
Where:
- K is Henry's Law constant
- P is the partial pressure of the gas
- X is the mole fraction of the gas in the liquid
The value of Henry's Law constant changes with temperature. It is also dependent on the composition of the solution, specifically its ionic strength and dissolved organics. It is important to note that Henry's Law is only applicable when the molecules of the system are in a state of equilibrium. It does not apply to gases under extremely high pressure or when the gas and solution react chemically with each other.
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Henry's Law is only applicable when molecules are in equilibrium
Henry's Law, a gas law formulated by English chemist William Henry in the early 19th century, explains the solubility of a gas in a liquid solution by the partial pressure and the mole fraction of the gas in the liquid. In simple words, the law states that the amount of gas that is dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. The constant of proportionality for this relationship is called Henry's law constant, often denoted by 'kH'.
Henry's law is only applicable when the molecules of a system are in a state of equilibrium. It does not apply to gases at high pressures. For example, N2(g) at high pressure becomes very soluble and dangerous when introduced into the blood supply. This is because the solubility of gases increases with greater depth (greater pressure) according to Henry's law, so the body tissues take on more gas over time in greater depths of water. This can lead to the formation of bubbles, which can cause blockages in capillaries or distortion in solid tissues, resulting in decompression sickness.
Additionally, Henry's law is not applicable when the gas and the solution participate in chemical reactions with each other. For instance, gases such as NH3 and CO2 do not obey Henry's law because they react with water. These gases have higher solubilities than expected due to their reactions.
The law is highly temperature-dependent, as vapour pressure and solubility are both temperature-dependent. The solubility of a gas generally decreases with increasing temperature, but the specific relationship between temperature and solubility can vary depending on the gas and the solvent. For example, the solubility of permanent gases in water typically decreases as temperature increases, while the solubility of many species in aqueous solutions goes through a minimum.
Henry's law has various applications, including in the production of carbonated drinks, explaining hypoxia, and assisting scuba divers in breathing at high-pressure areas.
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The solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid
In physical chemistry, Henry's law is a gas law formulated by English chemist William Henry in the early 19th century, specifically in 1803. The law states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid at a constant temperature. In other words, the amount of dissolved gas in a volume of liquid is proportional to the partial pressure of the gas in equilibrium with the liquid.
Henry's law can be applied to understand the depth-dependent dissolution of oxygen and nitrogen in the blood of underwater divers. As divers descend, the solubility of gases in their body tissues increases due to higher hydrostatic pressure at greater depths, leading to higher gas saturation. During ascent, the diver is decompressed, reducing the solubility of the gases dissolved in their tissues. If the supersaturation is too high, bubbles may form and cause decompression sickness. Therefore, divers must ascend slowly to allow excess dissolved gas to be carried away by the blood and released through the lungs.
The law also has applications in geochemistry, where it is used to calculate the concentration of gases in mines, lakes, and oceans. Henry's law is particularly useful for understanding the behaviour of gases in dilute solutions. However, it is important to note that it is a rough approximation, and deviations from ideal solutions can lead to less accurate calculations.
The mathematical expression of Henry's law relates the solubility of a gas (C), Henry's law constant (k or kH), and the partial pressure of the gas (Pgas). Henry's law constant can be defined in two fundamental ways: the solubility constant (H) and the volatility constant (kH or KH). The solubility constant is obtained by placing the aqueous phase in the numerator and the gaseous phase in the denominator ("aq/gas"), while the volatility constant is derived by switching the numerator and denominator ("gas/aq"). The value of Henry's law constant depends on factors such as temperature, nature of the gas, and the composition of the solution.
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The law can be used to calculate the concentration of gas in mines
Henry's law, formulated in the early 19th century by English chemist William Henry, explains the solubility of a gas in a liquid solution by the partial pressure and the mole fraction of the gas in the liquid. The law states that the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid when the temperature is constant. This law is only applicable when the molecules of the system are in a state of equilibrium.
The formula for Henry's law is: P = KHC, where P is the partial pressure of the gas above the solution, KH is the Henry's law constant for the solution, and C is the concentration of the dissolved gas in the solution. The value of KH is highly temperature-dependent, and the law is not applicable at high pressures.
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The law was formulated by English chemist William Henry in the 19th century
Henry's Law, a gas law formulated at the beginning of the 19th century, was developed by English chemist William Henry (1774/5–1836). Henry was born in Manchester, England, and was apprenticed to the Manchester Infirmary. In 1795, he went to Edinburgh and qualified as an MD in 1807, but his own ill health prevented him from practising as a physician. Instead, he devoted his time to chemical research, particularly the study of gases.
Henry's Law states that the amount of a gas absorbed by a liquid is directly proportional to the pressure of the gas above the liquid, as long as no chemical reaction occurs. In other words, it explains the solubility of a gas in a liquid solution by the partial pressure and the mole fraction of the gas in the liquid. The mole fraction of the gas in the liquid is taken as solubility. Therefore, as the value of the Henry's law constant decreases, the solubility of the solute in the solution increases.
Henry's Law can be applied in various situations. For example, it is used in the production of carbonated drinks and can explain hypoxia (low oxygen concentration in the blood and tissues). It is also applied during deep diving, helping scuba divers breathe in high-pressure areas when air is diluted with helium. Henry's Law is only applicable when the molecules of a system are in a state of equilibrium. It does not apply when the gas and solution participate in chemical reactions with each other or when gases are at high pressure.
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Frequently asked questions
Henry's Law is a gas law formulated by English chemist William Henry in the 19th century. It states that the amount of gas that is dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid.
Yes, Henry's Law can be expressed in two ways. The first is the solubility constant (H), which is used when the constant is defined in terms of solubility/pressure. The second is the volatility constant (kH), which is used when the constant is defined in terms of pressure/solubility.
Henry's Law has several applications. It is used in the production of carbonated drinks, the calculation of gas concentration in mines and bodies of water, and to explain hypoxia and decompression sickness in divers.










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