Charles Law for Behavior of Gases
Fluid Flow Table of Contents
Hydraulic and Pneumatic Knowledge
Charles Law for Behavior of Gases
Charles' Law, or the law of volumes, says that, for a given mass of an ideal gas at constant pressure, the volume is directly proportional to its absolute temperature , asuming a closed system.
As a mathematical equation, Charles' law is written as:
T1V2 - T2V1 or T1P2 = T2P1
T1, P1 and V1 are initial temperature, pressure, and volume, and T2, P2, and V2 are final conditions
Increasing the temperature of a volume of gas causes individual gas molecules to move faster. As the molecules move faster, they encounter the walls of the container more often and with more force. In an inflexible container, the more frequent and forceful collisions result in higher pressure. However, if the container volume is adjustable, the volume will increase, and the pressure will remain the same. Charles' Law is the formal description of this relationship, allowing change in volume to be calculated if the temperature change is known.