Gases are different from solids and liquids in an important way: their particles are far apart and move freely.
Explanation level
Introduction
Gases are different from solids and liquids in an important way: their particles are far apart and move freely. Because of this, gases can be compressed, expanded, and heated in ways that solids and liquids cannot. To understand how gases behave, scientists use the kinetic particle theory.
A sample of a gas can be characterized by four variables:
The number of moles of a gas (n) — how much gas is present.
Volume (V) — the space the gas occupies.
Pressure (P) — the force the gas exerts on the walls of its container.
Temperature (T) — how hot or cold the gas is.
These four variables are related to each other. When one changes, the others respond. The relationships that express the influence of one variable on another — while keeping the other two constant — are called gas laws.
This section explains the gas laws and how the kinetic particle theory interprets them. The gas laws covered in this unit are:
2.4.1 Boyle's Law — relationship between pressure and volume
2.4.2 Charles's Law — relationship between temperature and volume
2.4.3 Avogadro's Law — relationship between moles and volume
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