
Boyle's Law, a gas law formulated by Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle in 1662, states that the pressure exerted by a gas is inversely proportional to the volume occupied by it, provided that the temperature and quantity of the gas remain constant. Mathematically, this relationship can be expressed as P1V1 = P2V2, where P1 and V1 represent the initial pressure and volume of the gas, while P2 and V2 represent the final pressure and volume. This equation demonstrates that the product of the initial pressure and volume remains constant as long as the temperature and amount of gas remain unchanged.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Initial pressure exerted by the gas | P1 |
| Initial volume occupied by the gas | V1 |
| Final pressure exerted by the gas | P2 |
| Final volume occupied by the gas | V2 |
| The law at a constant temperature | PV = k |
| The pressure-volume relationship | P1V1 = P2V2 |
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What You'll Learn

Pressure and volume are inversely proportional
The law was put forward by Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle in 1662. It can be expressed mathematically as:
P1V1 = P2V2
Where:
- P1 is the initial pressure exerted by the gas
- V1 is the initial volume occupied by the gas
- P2 is the final pressure exerted by the gas
- V2 is the final volume occupied by the gas
This equation demonstrates the inverse relationship between pressure and volume, where the product of the initial pressure and volume is equal to the product of the final pressure and volume.
For example, if the volume of a gas is doubled, its pressure will be halved, and if the volume is reduced to half, its pressure will be doubled. This relationship can be observed when squeezing a balloon. As the volume of the balloon decreases, the pressure exerted by the gas inside increases.
Boyle's Law is a fundamental concept in gas laws and is applicable to various situations involving gases, such as in containers or balloons. It provides a mathematical framework for understanding and predicting the behaviour of gases under changing volume conditions, as long as the temperature and quantity of gas remain constant.
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PV = k
Boyle's Law, formulated by Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle in 1662, states that any change in the volume occupied by a gas (at a constant quantity and temperature) will result in a change in the pressure exerted by it. In other words, the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional to each other as long as the temperature and quantity of the gas are kept constant.
Mathematically, this relationship can be expressed as:
P1V1 = P2V2
Where:
- P1 is the initial pressure exerted by the gas
- V1 is the initial volume occupied by the gas
- P2 is the final pressure exerted by the gas
- V2 is the final volume occupied by the gas
This equation demonstrates that the product of the initial pressure and volume of a gas is equal to the product of its final pressure and volume, as long as the temperature and the number of moles of the gas remain constant.
The equation can also be written as PV = k, where k is a constant. This equation highlights the direct proportionality between pressure and volume for a fixed amount of gas kept at a constant temperature. In this form, the equation can be used to predict changes in pressure when the volume of a container is altered, as long as the quantity and temperature of the gas remain unchanged. For example, if the volume of a container is decreased, the pressure exerted by the gas will increase, and vice versa.
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Temperature must be constant
Temperature must be kept constant for Boyle's Law to hold true. The law, put forward by Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle in 1662, states that the pressure exerted by a gas is inversely proportional to the volume occupied by it, as long as the temperature and the quantity of gas remain constant.
Mathematically, this relationship can be expressed as PV = k, where P is the pressure exerted by the gas and V is the volume occupied by it. This equation can be used to predict how the pressure exerted by a gas changes when the volume of its container is altered, as long as the temperature and quantity of gas remain the same.
For example, if a filled balloon is squeezed, the volume occupied by the air inside decreases, and the pressure exerted by the gas on the walls of the balloon increases. Conversely, if a gas is allowed to expand into a larger container, its pressure decreases.
Boyle's Law can be written as P1V1 = P2V2, where P1 and V1 represent the initial pressure and volume of a gas, and P2 and V2 represent the final pressure and volume. This equation demonstrates that the product of the initial pressure and volume is equal to the product of the final pressure and volume, as long as the temperature remains constant.
If the temperature is not constant, and an ideal gas expands, it loses internal energy and its temperature drops. Therefore, to maintain a constant temperature during expansion, heat must be supplied to offset any work done by the gas against external pressure.
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Pressure-volume relationship
Boyle's Law is a gas law that describes the relationship between the pressure exerted by a gas and the volume it occupies, provided the temperature and the quantity of the gas remain constant. The law was formulated by Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle in 1662.
According to Boyle's Law, any change in the volume of a gas, while keeping the temperature and the amount of gas constant, will result in a change in the pressure exerted by the gas. In other words, the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional to each other when the temperature and quantity of the gas are kept constant. This relationship can be expressed mathematically as P1V1 = P2V2, where P1 and V1 represent the initial pressure and volume of the gas, respectively, and P2 and V2 represent the corresponding final values.
The equation P1V1 = P2V2 implies that the product of the initial pressure and initial volume of a gas is equal to the product of its final pressure and final volume, as long as the temperature and the number of moles of the gas remain unchanged. This equation can be derived from the pressure-volume relationship suggested by Boyle's Law, which can be expressed as PV = k, where P is the pressure exerted by the gas and V is the volume it occupies. By substituting the initial and final values, we get P1V1 = k and P2V2 = k, respectively, which leads to the equation P1V1 = P2V2.
Boyle's Law has important implications for understanding the behaviour of gases. For example, when a filled balloon is squeezed, the volume occupied by the air inside the balloon decreases, resulting in an increase in the pressure exerted by the gas on the walls of the balloon. Similarly, if a gas is transferred from a smaller container to a larger one, the increase in volume leads to a decrease in pressure, assuming the temperature and the amount of gas remain constant.
It is important to note that Boyle's Law only holds true under specific conditions, particularly when the temperature is constant. When an ideal gas expands, it loses internal energy, resulting in a decrease in temperature. Therefore, for Boyle's Law to be applicable, heat must be supplied during the expansion to maintain a constant temperature.
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The law was put forward by Robert Boyle in 1662
Boyle's Law, a fundamental principle in physics, was put forward by Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle in 1662. It describes the inverse relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas at a constant temperature. In other words, as the volume of a gas increases, its pressure decreases, and vice versa, as long as the temperature and the quantity of the gas remain constant.
The law can be expressed mathematically as P1V1 = P2V2, where P1 is the initial pressure exerted by the gas, V1 is the initial volume occupied by the gas, P2 is the final pressure exerted by the gas, and V2 is the final volume occupied by the gas. This equation demonstrates that the product of the initial pressure and volume is equal to the product of the final pressure and volume.
For example, let's say we have a gas in a container with an initial pressure of 3 kPa and an initial volume of 20 L. If we transfer the gas to a new container with a volume of 10 L while keeping the temperature constant, the final pressure will increase. Using Boyle's Law, we can calculate the final pressure as follows:
P1V1 = P2V2
3 kPa x 20 L = P2 x 10 L
P2 = (3 kPa x 20 L) / 10 L
P2 = 6 kPa
So, the final pressure in the new container is 6 kPa.
Boyle derived this law through experiments, specifically building upon the work of Richard Towneley and Henry Power, who first noted the relationship between pressure and volume. Boyle's assistant, Robert Hooke, may have also played a role in building the experimental apparatus. The law was published in 1662 and has since become a cornerstone in the understanding of gas behaviour.
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Frequently asked questions
Boyle's Law is a gas law that states that the pressure exerted by a gas (of a given mass, kept at a constant temperature) is inversely proportional to the volume occupied by it.
The equation for Boyle's Law is P1V1 = P2V2, where P1 is the initial pressure exerted by the gas, V1 is the initial volume occupied by the gas, P2 is the final pressure exerted by the gas, and V2 is the final volume occupied by the gas.
The variables in the equation for Boyle's Law are P1, V1, P2, and V2.
The variables in the equation represent the initial and final pressure and volume of a gas.
Boyle's Law is valid under the assumption that the temperature and the quantity of gas remain constant.










































