Investigation into the relationship between Pressure and Volume of a gas

Aim:
The aim of this investigation is to find a relationship between the pressure and
the volume of a gas.

To investigate this, a u-tube filled with mercury was used. On the sealed right
hand side, there was an air bubble.

Variables:
The independent variable in this investigation is the pressure exerted on the
air bubble. This was measured in centimetres of mercury (cmHg) and was varied
by tightening the a vice on the bottom of the u-tube, causing an increase in
pressure.

The dependent variable is the volume of the air bubble. In this investigation,
however, the volume of the air bubble is represented by its length. This is a valid
substitution as the cross-sectional area of the u-tube is constant. This was
measured in centimetres (cm).

The constant variables include the temperature of the room, the amount of air
and mercury and the atmospheric pressure. Lastly, the cross sectional area of the
U-tube was kept constant as was the height of the right hand side of the U-tube
(see diagram)

Diagram:

Apparatus:
 A barometer
 Two rulers
 A U-tube set up as according to the diagram with the following features:
o A sealed end
o An open end
o A screw vice at the bottom
o Filled with mercury
o Two meter rules attached to each side
Method:
1. Set up as according to diagram
2. Record the room temperature in Kelvins and the atmospheric pressure in
cmHg
3. Take a reading of the level of mercury on both sides
4. Tighten the screw so that the left hand side mercury level increases by 2
centimetres
5. Retake the mercury readings
6. Repeat steps 3 to 4 until 12 readings are obtained.

RAW DATA

Level of mercury on Level of mercury on

left hand side hlhs /cm right hand side hrhs /cm
∆hlhs=±0.1cm ∆hrhs=±0.1cm
18.5 29.6
20.7 30.0
22.1 30.6
24.0 30.8
26.1 31.4
28.1 32.0
30.0 32.3
32.0 32.8
33.0 33.0
34.0 33.2
36.0 33.7
38.0 34.1

Room temperature, T, 295 ∆0.5 K

Room pressure, Proom, 723 ∆1 cmHg
Top of air bubble, h, 47.3 ∆0.2 cm
WRITE ABOUT UNCERTAINTIES

From this data, we can now find the pressure exerted on the air bubble, P, and its
length, V.
V =h−h lhs P cmHg= Proom −(hrhs −h lhs )
¿ cm=(47 . 3 D 0 . 2)cm−hlhs ¿ cmHg= (7 23 D 1) cmHg−(h rhs−hlhs )
Mercury level difference Pressure P/ Length of air bubble V /
hrhs- hlhs/ cmHg∆ P=±1.2cm cmHg∆ V=±0.4cm
cm∆ hrhs- hlhs=±0.2cm
11.1 711.9 17.7
9.3 713.7 17.3
8.5 714.5 16.7
6.8 716.2 16.5
5.3 717.7 15.9
3.9 719.1 15.3
2.3 720.7 15
0.8 722.2 14.5
0 723 14.3
-0.8 723.8 14.1
-2.3 725.3 13.6
-3.9 726.9 13.2

Length reciprocal 1/V Length reciprocal uncertainty

/cm ∆1/V
0.056 0.00032
0.058 0.00033
0.060 0.00036
0.061 0.00037
0.063 0.00040
0.065 0.00043
0.067 0.00044
0.069 0.00048
0.070 0.00049
0.071 0.00050
0.074 0.00054
0.076 0.00057