Ideal Gas Law

In order to determine the capacity of a storage container, like the scuba tanks in the image, chemists must use the Ideal Gas Law. You can imagine that this knowledge is very important as a scuba diver. You would not want to take a dive and run out of air. You also would not want to put too much of a gas under pressure in a container.

Just like the Combined Gas Law, the Ideal Gas Law is a combination of different laws related to gases. Remember, according to kinetic molecular theory, there is no such thing as an ideal gas. Instead, gases are assumed to be ideal because they behave properly at ordinary temperatures and pressures. There is only one equation needed in the Ideal Gas Law. This equation is both easy to remember and easy to use. In this topic, you will explore the Ideal Gas Law and how to use the equation associated with this law.

Essential Question

• How is the Ideal Gas Law equation manipulated to solve mathematical problems?