Final answer:
To find the original volume of the hydrogen gas, Boyle's Law is applied; given the change in pressure from 0.8 to 2 atmospheres and a final volume of 240 mL, the original volume is calculated to be 600 mL.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the behavior of gases under different pressures and uses the principles of Boyle's Law, which states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume when temperature and amount are kept constant. To find the original volume of the hydrogen gas, we can use the formula derived from Boyle's Law:
P1 * V1 = P2 * V2
Where P1 and V1 are the original pressure and volume, and P2 and V2 are the pressure and volume after compression. Given that the pressure changes from 0.8 atmospheres to 2 atmospheres when the volume is compressed to 240 mL, we can rearrange the formula to solve for V1:
V1 = (P2 * V2) / P1
Substituting the known values:
V1 = (2 atmospheres * 240 mL) / 0.8 atmospheres
V1 = 600 mL
So, the original volume of the hydrogen gas was 600 mL.