
The ideal gas law, also known as the general gas equation, is a hypothetical equation of state for an ideal gas. It is a useful approximation for the behaviour of many gases under various conditions. The ideal gas law was first stated by Benoît Paul Émile Clapeyron in 1834 as a combination of Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, Avogadro's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law. The law is often used to solve for the initial or final value of pressure or volume when one of these factors is missing. While the ideal gas law is a useful tool, it has limitations and does not account for molecular size and intermolecular attractions. This means it is most accurate for monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Applicability | The ideal gas law is a good approximation of the behavior of many gases under many conditions, although it has several limitations. |
| Applicability conditions | It is most accurate for monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures. |
| Equation | PV = nRT |
| Variables | P (pressure), V (volume), n (number of moles), R (gas constant), T (temperature in Kelvin) |
| State | The state of a gas is determined by its pressure, volume, and temperature. |
| Limitations | The ideal gas law neglects molecular size and intermolecular attractions. |
| Use cases | It can be used to solve for the initial or final value of pressure or volume of a certain gas when one of the two factors is missing. |
| Work done on a gas | Work done on a gas increases its energy, pressure, and/or temperature, or decreases its volume. |
| Kinetic energy | The increased energy of a gas due to work done on it can be viewed as increased internal kinetic energy of its atoms and molecules. |
| Thermodynamic processes | A thermodynamic process is defined as a system moving from state 1 to state 2, with one of the gas properties (P, V, T, S, or H) remaining constant throughout the process. |
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What You'll Learn

The ideal gas law is a combination of other gas laws
Boyle's Law describes the inverse proportional relationship between pressure and volume at a constant temperature and a fixed amount of gas. Charles's Law describes the directly proportional relationship between the volume and temperature (in Kelvin) of a fixed amount of gas when the pressure is held constant. If the Kelvin temperature of a gas is increased, the volume of the gas increases, and if the temperature is decreased, the volume decreases. Avogadro's Law applies to problems using standard temperature and pressure. Given a constant number of moles of gas and an unchanged volume, pressure is directly proportional to temperature. Gay-Lussac's Law can be used to calculate a change in pressure or temperature.
The Ideal Gas Law combines these laws and their properties to give the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature for a fixed amount of gas. The modern form of the equation relates these variables simply in two main forms. The temperature used in the equation of state is an absolute temperature, with the appropriate SI unit being Kelvin. The ideal gas law neglects both molecular size and intermolecular attractions, so it is most accurate for monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures.
The combined gas law is derived from the ideal gas law and allows for the derivation of any of the relationships needed by combining pressure, temperature, and volume.
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It is a good approximation for many gases
The ideal gas law is a good approximation for many gases under various conditions. It is an equation of state for a hypothetical ideal gas, combining Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, Avogadro's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law. The law is often written in an empirical form, with the ideal gas constant denoted as "R". The state of a gas is determined by its pressure, volume, and temperature, and the ideal gas law relates these factors.
The ideal gas law is particularly useful when working with problems involving changes in pressure or volume when one of these factors is unknown. For example, when inflating a bicycle tyre, the ideal gas law can be used to understand the relationship between the pressure and volume of the gas inside the tyre as it is pumped up. The law also applies to gases at temperatures above their boiling point.
Additionally, the ideal gas law is a valuable tool for understanding the initial or final values of pressure or volume when one of these factors remains constant. This is particularly applicable when dealing with standard temperature and pressure (STP) conditions, where the temperature is 0°C and the pressure is 1 atmosphere (atm). At STP, 1 mole of gas occupies 22.4 litres of volume.
The ideal gas law is derived from the kinetic theory of gases, which assumes that there are no intermolecular attractions between the molecules or atoms of an ideal gas. This assumption simplifies the understanding of gas behaviour by considering all energy possessed by the gas as kinetic energy. However, it is important to note that the ideal gas law has limitations and does not account for molecular size or intermolecular forces. More detailed equations, such as the van der Waals equation, address these deviations from ideality.
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It is derived from the kinetic theory of gases
The ideal gas law, also called the general gas equation, is the equation of state of a hypothetical ideal gas. It is a good approximation of the behaviour of many gases under many conditions. However, it has several limitations. The ideal gas law is derived from the kinetic theory of gases, which makes several simplifying assumptions.
Firstly, the kinetic theory of gases assumes that the molecules or atoms of a gas are point masses, possessing mass but no significant volume. This means that the molecules are assumed to be spaced relatively far apart, so we don't have to worry about interactions between them. This assumption makes it easier to understand the behaviour of gases in isolation from real-world conditions.
Secondly, the kinetic theory assumes that these molecules undergo only elastic collisions with each other and the sides of the container in which they are held. This means that both linear momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.
Thirdly, according to the kinetic theory, there are no intermolecular attractions between the molecules or atoms of an ideal gas. In other words, its potential energy is zero, and all the energy it possesses is kinetic energy.
By combining these assumptions, August Krönig in 1856 and Rudolf Clausius in 1857 were able to independently derive the ideal gas law from the kinetic theory of gases. The ideal gas law, expressed as PV = nRT, relates the pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas to its amount in moles.
The ideal gas law is a useful approximation for many gases, particularly monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures. However, it is important to remember that it is a simplification and that more detailed equations, such as the van der Waals equation, are needed to account for molecular size and intermolecular forces.
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The ideal gas law is useful for solving for pressure or volume
The ideal gas law is a useful tool for solving for pressure or volume, as it relates these factors to temperature and the number of molecules or moles of gas. The ideal gas law combines Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, Avogadro's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law, providing a versatile equation that can be adapted to various scenarios.
The ideal gas law is often written as PV = nRT, where P represents pressure, V represents volume, T represents temperature in Kelvin, n represents the number of moles, and R is the ideal gas constant. This equation can be rearranged to solve for any of these variables, making it a powerful tool for calculations involving gas behaviour.
For example, if you have a problem where the initial or final pressure or volume of a gas is unknown, and one of these factors is missing, the ideal gas law can be used to find the solution. Charles's Law, which is incorporated into the ideal gas law, describes the direct relationship between volume and temperature when pressure and the amount of gas are held constant. This relationship can be utilised to solve for volume or temperature when pressure and the number of moles remain unchanged.
Additionally, Avogadro's Law, which is also incorporated into the ideal gas law, can be applied to problems using standard temperature and pressure (STP). Given a constant number of moles of gas and an unchanged volume, Avogadro's Law states that pressure is directly proportional to temperature. This can be useful for solving for pressure when temperature, volume, and the number of moles are known.
It is important to note that the ideal gas law assumes an ideal gas, neglecting molecular size and intermolecular attractions. Therefore, it is most accurate for monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures. However, it still serves as a good approximation for many gases under various conditions.
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It is related to the law of conservation of energy
The ideal gas law, also called the general gas equation, is an equation of state of a hypothetical ideal gas. It is a good approximation of the behaviour of many gases under many conditions, although it has several limitations. The ideal gas law neglects both molecular size and intermolecular attractions, and hence, it is most accurate for monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures.
The ideal gas law is related to the law of conservation of energy. According to the assumptions of the kinetic theory of ideal gases, there are no intermolecular attractions between the molecules or atoms of an ideal gas. This means that its potential energy is zero, and all the energy possessed by the gas is the kinetic energy of its molecules or atoms.
The ideal gas law can be used to relate the energy of a gas to the pressure produced by molecules bouncing off the walls of a container. The pressure is caused by molecules bumping against the walls and creating a force. The faster the molecules move and the more molecules there are, the stronger the force. The pressure is also inversely proportional to the volume occupied by the gas.
The internal energy of a gas can be increased by increasing the pressure at a constant volume by adding heat to the system, which increases the average kinetic energy of the molecules. Similarly, if the pressure is constant and the volume is increased, heat can be added to the system to maintain the constant pressure, which increases the average kinetic energy of the molecules and, hence, the internal energy.
The ideal gas law can be derived from the kinetic theory of gases, which assumes that gas molecules are point masses possessing mass but no significant volume and undergo only elastic collisions with each other and the sides of the container.
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Frequently asked questions
The ideal gas law, also called the general gas equation, is the equation of state of a hypothetical ideal gas. It is a good approximation of the behaviour of many gases under many conditions. It was first stated by Benoît Paul Émile Clapeyron in 1834 as a combination of Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, Avogadro's Law, and Gay-Lussac's Law.
The ideal gas law neglects both molecular size and intermolecular attractions. Therefore, it is most accurate for monatomic gases at high temperatures and low pressures.
The ideal gas law can be used to solve for the initial or final value of pressure or volume of a certain gas when one of the two factors is missing. It is also useful when working with problems involving standard temperature and pressure (STP).

























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