Answer to Question #118599 in Physics for Susan Williams

Question

State Boyle's law, and describe an experiment using a glass tube of uniform cross sectional area in the form of a letter J sealed at the shorter end to verify it. Mention one of the limitations of this method

Answer 1

Boyle's law: if the temperature of the system does not change, the product of pressure and volume is a constant value:

$$p_1V_1=p_2V_2.$$

Describe the glass tube experiment. Boyle took of a J-shaped glass tube with one end (left of J) clogged, poured mercury in the tube unless its level on the left and right sides becomes equal ("initial" in the figure).

The pressure in the clogged end, thus, equals the atmospheric pressure. Then he added more mercury in the open end ("added" in the figure) and measured the reduced volume in the clogged end. He also calculated additional pressure that mercury created in the open end. After making calculations, he figured out that "at constant temperature, the volume of the gas is inversely proportional to the pressure."