MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Re: Per Gas laws: water pressure has no maximum in a vessel of infinite strength?

Date: Thu Oct 27 06:08:10 2005
Posted By: Carlin Gregory, , Chemistry (BA and MS) in Synthetic , Williams Gas Pipelines - Texas Gas
Area of science: Physics
ID: 1130124571.Ph
Message:

Jay,

It sounds like you have done some research into your question.  If you 
have, you might have come across the ideal gas law: PV=nRT, where 
P=pressure, V=volume, n=moles (concentration of the gas), R=gas constant, 
and T=Temperature.

In your example, we can get rid of the constants in the equation which 
will be V, n, and R.  We can get rid of these terms because the volume, 
amount of water and the gas constant never change so they play no role in 
the experiment.  This leaves the equation as P=T.  And you are correct as 
you increse the pressure infinitely, the temperature will increase 
proportionally.  It might hard to imagine, but as long as you increase the 
pressure, not only of water, but of any substance, the temperature will 
increase accordingly if the volume is held constant.  If you want to learn 
more about this, you can look up or search for the "Gay-Lussac Gas Law" 
which is P1/T1=P2/T2.

Your last statement about water expanding infinitely is true if you hold 
the pressure constant and allow the volume to vary with temperature 
increases.  This is called "Charles Gas Law", which is V1/T1=V2/T2.

And you may want to even look for "Boyles Gas Law" which is P1/V1=P2/V2.  
In this case if we held the temperature of the gas constant and increase 
the pressure the volume will decrease proportionally.

Hope this helps or at leasts gets you going in the right direction.

Carlin Gregory
Texas Gas Transmission, LLC


Current Queue | Current Queue for Physics | Physics archives

Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Physics.



MadSci Home | Information | Search | Random Knowledge Generator | MadSci Archives | Mad Library | MAD Labs | MAD FAQs | Ask a ? | Join Us! | Help Support MadSci


MadSci Network, webadmin@madsci.org
© 1995-2005. All rights reserved.