Charles Law
Calculator
Results
- Final volume (L)
- 1.909346
- Volume change (L)
- 0.409346
Chemistry results
| Final volume (L) | 1.909346 |
| Volume change (L) | 0.409346 |
formula-map diagram
- Final volume (L)
- 1.909346
- Volume change (L)
- 0.409346
Formula breakdown
Formula
V₁ ÷ T₁ = V₂ ÷ T₂= 1.9093467508102
Note
Simplified model: these results assume ideal behaviour (ideal gases, dilute solutions, complete reactions) and standard textbook constants. Real laboratory values vary with temperature, pressure, purity and activity coefficients. Do not rely on this for safety-critical or analytical work.
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See all →Frequently asked questions
What does Charles's law describe?+
Charles's law states that for a fixed amount of gas at constant pressure, volume is directly proportional to absolute temperature: V1/T1 = V2/T2. Heating a gas at constant pressure makes it expand; cooling it makes it contract.
Why must temperature be in kelvin for Charles's law?+
The direct proportionality only holds true when temperature is measured on an absolute scale starting at true zero volume/motion, so using Celsius (where 0°C isn't actually zero thermal energy) breaks the proportional relationship. Convert to kelvin before calculating.
What everyday example demonstrates Charles's law?+
A balloon left in a hot car appears to inflate slightly as the trapped air expands with rising temperature, while the same balloon shrinks when placed in a freezer, both at roughly constant atmospheric pressure. This is a commonly used classroom demonstration of the law.
How is Charles's law different from Boyle's law?+
Charles's law holds pressure constant and relates volume to temperature, while Boyle's law holds temperature constant and relates volume to pressure. Both are special cases of the more general combined gas law.
Can Charles's law predict what happens if you cool a gas all the way to absolute zero?+
In theory, extrapolating the linear V-T relationship predicts the volume would shrink to zero at absolute zero (0 K), which is part of how absolute zero was originally defined — but real gases liquefy or solidify before reaching that point, so the law's ideal-gas prediction isn't observed in practice.