1. What is Charles' Law?

Charles' Law states that the volume of a given amount of gas is directly proportional to its temperature on the Kelvin scale when pressure is held constant. It's one of the fundamental gas laws in physics and chemistry.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Charles' Law equation:

Where:

• \( V_1 \) — Initial volume (m³)
• \( T_1 \) — Initial temperature (Kelvin)
• \( T_2 \) — Final temperature (Kelvin)
• \( V_2 \) — Final volume (m³)

Explanation: The equation shows that as temperature increases, volume increases proportionally when pressure remains constant.

3. Importance of Charles' Law

Details: Charles' Law helps predict how gases will behave when heated or cooled. It's essential in fields like chemistry, engineering, meteorology, and in designing various technologies including hot air balloons and combustion engines.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter initial volume in m³, temperatures in Kelvin. All values must be positive numbers. Remember that 0°C = 273.15K.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why must temperature be in Kelvin?
A: Kelvin is an absolute temperature scale where 0K is absolute zero. Using Kelvin ensures proportional relationships in gas laws.

Q2: What are the assumptions of Charles' Law?
A: It assumes constant pressure and amount of gas, and that the gas behaves ideally (no intermolecular forces).

Q3: How does this relate to real-world applications?
A: It explains why hot air balloons rise (heated air expands), how thermometers work, and affects engine performance.

Q4: What if pressure changes?
A: Then you need to use the combined gas law which accounts for pressure, volume, and temperature changes.

Q5: Can I use Celsius if I convert properly?
A: No, you must use Kelvin as the relationship isn't linear with Celsius due to the -273.15°C offset of absolute zero.