David's+Gas+Law+Model

Applying the Gas Laws to Helium and Neon

SUMMARY: This fairly straightforward applet allows you modify certain parameters (such as amount, pressure, volume and temperature) and observe their effects on helium and neon atoms. The inverse relationship between pressure and volume can be seen, as well as the direct relationships between: 1. volume and temperature, and 2. temperature and pressure. In the lower right-hand corner, the instantaneous velocities of helium and neon are represented by continually changing bars superimposed on graphs of the respective average velocities. This graph can also be modified to show other relationships. Note that green bars represent effects on helium, while blue bars represent effects on neon.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPERATION: -Green particles represent helium atoms, while blue particles represent neon atoms. First, select a variable to be kept constant by clicking the bullet point next to your chosen variable. The values of the other variables, such as pressure, moles of helium, moles of neon, volume and temperature can then be modified by simply sliding the bars in the upper right-hand corner. Note that the bars will fail to slide if your parameters specify physically impossible phenomena. -To track the motion of a single particle, click "Enable Tracking". A red line will then follow a random particle. -The particle speeds of the helium and neon atoms are shown in the lower right-hand corner. To show graphs of other relationships, click "Relations." Then specify your dependent and independent variables from the corresponding drop-down menus. -Click "Pause" to stop the motion of the particles. Make appropriate measurements if you wish, and proceed by clicking "Resume." -For additional instructions, simply click "Help."

THE BRAINS BEHIND THIS WORK: This applet is located on a server created by Dr. John I. Gelder, a teacher of introductory chemistry at Oklahoma State University's Chemistry Department.

Go to applet: Click here Go to Dr. Gelder's homepage: Click here