Question

A cylinder with a piston holds 0.50 m3 of oxygen at an absolute pressure of 4.0 atm. The piston is pulled outward, increasing the volume of the gas until the pressure drops to 1.0 atm. If the temperature stays constant, what new volume does the gas occupy?

Answer 1

Answer:

2 cubic meters

Explanation:

Suppose ideal gas, when the temperature stays constant, then the product of pressure and volume is the same as before

$P_1V_1 = P_2V_2$

where $P_1 = 4 atm, V_1 = 0.5m^3$ are the pressure and volume of the gas before. $P_2 = 1 atm, V_2$ are the pressure and volume of the gas after. We can solve for the volume after

$V_2 = \frac{P_1V_1}{P_2} = \frac{4*0.5}{1} = 2 m^3$