Adiabatic Changes in a Gas

Goal: To measure the change in pressure as a gas is heated

Materials

• Heat resistant glass jar or calibrated cylindar
• Hot plate
• Disk cut to fit glass jar -- cut slightly smaller than inside of jar. Add handle for ease of use.
• Rubber band or washer that can fit on disk to form seal. Disk should be movable, but should stay in position when put in place.
• Alternative, use gas expanding in a sealed distillation chamber against air pressure on another vessel.
• Thermometer
• Weights

Procedure

1. Determine a procedure that will allow you to heat the gas in the jar (air) and watch the piston rise a measurable amount. You must be able to insert the thermometer inside your piston chamber to measure temperature change. If possible, vary the weight of the piston.
2. Can you think of any way to vary the gas within the piston chamber?

Data Handling

1. Create a table for your data including trial run identifier, temperature and time, and raw piston position measurement.
2. Calibrate volume within piston for each piston position.
3. Determine pressure exerted upward against piston weight.
4. Plot pressure (or volume) vs. temperature change over at least a 40 °C temperature range.

Report

1. Follow the guidelines for filing a formal report of your process, materials, data collection and handling, and conclusions.

Post your report to the Lab thread at the Moodle.

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