Question

On a cold winter morning when the temperature is -13 C, the air pressure in an automobile is 1.5 atm. Using Gay Lussac's Law, what is the pressure after the tire has warmed to 15 degrees C?

Answer 1

The correct answer is 1.66 atm ≅ 1.7 atm

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

T₁ = -13°C + 273 = 260 K (initial temperature)

T₂ = 15°C + 273 = 288 K (final temperature)

P₁ = 1.5 atm

P₂= ?

We use the mathematical expression of Gay Lussac's Law to calculate P₂, as follows:

P₁/T₁ = P₂/T₂

P₂= P₁/T₁ x T₂ = (1.5 atm)/(260 K) x 288 K = 1.66 atm ≅ 1.7 atm

Since the law says that the temperature of a gas is directly proportional to the pressure, when the temperature is increased, the pressure increases.