Ideal Gas Law Definition and Equation

Chemistry Glossary Definition of Ideal Gas Law

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The ideal gas law relates temperature, pressure, volume, and amount of a gas.

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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on August 09, 2019

The ideal gas law is also known as the general gas equation. It is an equation of state of an ideal gas that relates pressure, volume, quantity of gas, and temperature. While the law describes the behavior of a hypothetical gas, it approximates the behavior of real gases in many situations. The law was first stated by Émile Clapeyron in 1834. The law combines Boyle's law, Avogadro's law, Gay-Lussac's law, and Charles' law.

Equation

Most of the time, the Ideal Gas Law can be used to make calculations for real gases.
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What Is the Ideal Gas Law?
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

The ideal gas law is the relationship described by the equation"

PV = nRT

where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles of an ideal gas, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is the temperature.

Sources

  • Clapeyron, E. (1834). "Mémoire sur la puissance motrice de la chaleur." Journal de l'École Polytechnique (in French). XIV: 153–90.
  • Davis; Masten (2002). Principles of Environmental Engineering and Science. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-235053-9.
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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Ideal Gas Law Definition and Equation." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/ideal-gas-law-and-equation-604533. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 28). Ideal Gas Law Definition and Equation. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/ideal-gas-law-and-equation-604533 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Ideal Gas Law Definition and Equation." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/ideal-gas-law-and-equation-604533 (accessed April 18, 2024).