Which equation represents the combined gas law for a fixed amount of gas?

Study for the Cambridge Science – States of Matter Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, with hints and explanations for each question. Ready yourself for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which equation represents the combined gas law for a fixed amount of gas?

Explanation:
The main idea is that for a fixed amount of gas, pressure, volume, and temperature are all linked by PV = nRT, and with n and R constant this becomes PV/T = nR, a constant. When you compare two states of the same gas, you get (P1V1)/T1 = (P2V2)/T2. This is the form of the combined gas law for a fixed amount of gas. P = F/A, while true as the definition of pressure, does not relate how pressure, volume, and temperature change together for a gas. It doesn’t connect two states or involve temperature, so it isn’t the combined gas law.

The main idea is that for a fixed amount of gas, pressure, volume, and temperature are all linked by PV = nRT, and with n and R constant this becomes PV/T = nR, a constant. When you compare two states of the same gas, you get (P1V1)/T1 = (P2V2)/T2. This is the form of the combined gas law for a fixed amount of gas.

P = F/A, while true as the definition of pressure, does not relate how pressure, volume, and temperature change together for a gas. It doesn’t connect two states or involve temperature, so it isn’t the combined gas law.

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