Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

|

Gas Laws (SL IB Physics)

Exam Questions

3 hours42 questions
1a
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1 mark

Define the mole.

1b
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2 marks

4.7 × 1023 molecules of neon gas is trapped in a cylinder.

Calculate the number of moles of neon gas in the cylinder.

1c
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4 marks

The molar mass of neon gas is 20 g mol–1.

Calculate the mass of the neon gas in the cylinder.

1d
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3 marks

The cylinder containing the neon gas has a volume 5.2 m3 and pressure of 600 Pa.

Calculate the temperature of the gas.

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2a
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1 mark

State what is meant by an ideal gas.

2b
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3 marks

State the conditions for a real gas to approximate to an ideal gas.

2c
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2 marks

Describe how the ideal gas constant, R, is defined.

2d
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2 marks

The graphs shows how pressure, p, varies with absolute temperature, T, for a fixed mass of an ideal gas.

3-2-q2d-sl-sq-easy-phy

Outline the changes, or otherwise, to the volume and density of the ideal gas as the absolute temperature increases.

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3a
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3 marks

State three assumptions of the kinetic model of an ideal gas.

3b
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3 marks

A tank of volume 21 m3 contains 7.0 moles of an ideal monatomic gas. The temperature of the gas is 28 °C.

Calculate the average kinetic energy of the particles in the gas.

3c
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3 marks

The following paragraph explains, with reference to the kinetic model of an ideal gas, how an increase in temperature of the gas leads to an increase in pressure.

A ________ temperature implies ________ average speed and therefore higher ________. This increases the change in ________ of collisions with the walls and leads to ________ frequent collisions. This increased ________ per collision leads to an increased ________.

Complete the sentences using keywords from the box below.

 
UpJxpglZ_3-2-word-bank
3d
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3 marks

Calculate the pressure of the gas described in part (b).

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4a
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2 marks

Sketch on both axes the change in pressure and volume for an ideal gas at constant temperature.

3-2-q4a-sl-sq-easy-phy
4b
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2 marks

Sketch the graphs in part (a) at a higher temperature.

4c
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1 mark

For an ideal gas at constant volume, the pressure, p, and temperature, T, are directly proportional:

p space proportional to space T

State the equation for an initial pressure p1 at temperature T1 and final pressure p2 and temperature T2.

4d
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3 marks

The final pressure of an ideal gas is 500 Pa and its temperature rises from 410 K to 495 K. 

Calculate the initial pressure of the gas. 

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5a
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1 mark

Define pressure.

5b
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4 marks

When there are a large number of particles in a container, their collisions with the walls of the container give rise to gas pressure. 

An ideal gas with a pressure of 166 kPa collides with the walls of its container with a force of 740 N.

Calculate the internal surface area of the container.

5c
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2 marks

An ideal gas is one that obeys the relationship

p V space proportional to space T

If the volume an ideal gas increases, explain how this affects the: 

(i)
Pressure, if the temperature remains constant.
[1]

   

(ii)     Temperature, if the pressure remains constant.
[1]
5d
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1 mark

The ideal gas equation can be rearranged to give

fraction numerator p V over denominator T end fraction equalsconstant

This relationship only holds true under a certain condition.

State the condition required for the equation to apply to an ideal gas.

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1a
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2 marks

This question is about a monatomic ideal gas.

Outline what is meant by an ideal monatomic gas.

1b
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4 marks

Neon gas is kept in a container of volume 7.1 × 10–2 m3, temperature 325 K and pressure 3.7 × 105 Pa. 

(i)
Calculate the number of moles of neon in the container.

[2]

(ii)
Calculate the number of atoms in the gas.

[2]

1c
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4 marks

The volume of the gas is decreased to 4.2 × 10–2 m3 at a constant temperature. 

(i)
Calculate the new pressure of the gas in Pa

[2]

(ii)
Explain this change in pressure, in terms of molecular motion.

[2]

1d
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3 marks

Following the change in part (c), energy is then supplied to the gas at a rate of 10 J s–1 for 10 minutes. The specific heat capacity of neon is 904 J kg–1 K–1 and its atomic mass number is 21. The volume of the gas does not change.

Determine the new pressure of the gas.

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2a
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2 marks

This question is about an ideal gas in a container.

An ideal gas is held in a glass gas syringe.

Calculate the temperature of 0.726 mol of an ideal gas kept in a cylinder of volume 2.6 × 10–3 m3 at a pressure of 2.32 × 105 Pa.

2b
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2 marks

The average kinetic energy of the gas is directly proportional to one particular property of the gas. 

(i)
Identify this property.

[1]

(ii)
Calculate the average kinetic energy, E with minus on top, per molecule of the gas.

 [1]

2c
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4 marks

Energy is supplied to the gas at a rate of 0.5 J s–1 for 4 minutes. The specific heat capacity of the gas is 519 J kg–1 K–1 and the atomic mass number is 4 u.

Calculate the change in kinetic energy per molecule of the gas.

2d
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2 marks

The gas is heated until its temperature doubles.

Determine the factor the average speed of the molecules increases by.

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3a
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2 marks

This question is about the specific heat capacity of an ideal gas.

Outline two assumptions made in the kinetic model of an ideal gas.

3b
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5 marks

Xenon–131 behaves as an ideal gas over a large range of temperatures and pressures.

One mole of xenon–131 is stored at 20 °C in a cylinder of fixed volume. The xenon gas is heated at a constant rate and the internal energy increased by 450 J. The new temperature of the xenon gas is 41.7 °C.

 
(i)
State the number of atoms in one mole of xenon.

[1]

(ii)
Calculate the specific heat capacity of gaseous xenon–131.

[2]

(iii)
Calculate the average kinetic energy of the molecules of xenon at this new temperature.

[2]

3c
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4 marks

The volume of the sealed container is 0.054 m3.

Calculate the change in pressure of the gas due to the energy supplied in part (b).

3d
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3 marks

One end of the container is replaced with a moveable piston. The piston is compressed until the pressure of the container is 67000 Pa. The temperature remains constant.

Determine the new volume of the container.

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4a
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2 marks

This question is about an experiment to investigate the variation in the pressure p of an ideal gas with changing volume V.

The gas is trapped in a cylindrical tube of radius 0.5 cm above a column of oil.

q4_modelling-a-gas_ib-sl-physics-sq-medium

The pump forces the oil to move up the tube and so reduces the volume of the gas. The scientist measures the pressure p of the gas and the height H of the column of gas.

Calculate the volume of the gas when the height is 1 cm.

4b
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3 marks

When the system is at a constant temperature of 20 °C, the pressure is 9600 Pa.

Calculate: 

(i)
the amount of moles of gas trapped in the cylinder

[2]

(ii)
the average kinetic energy of the molecules of trapped gas
[1]
4c
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3 marks

The scientist plots their results of p against 1 over H on a graph.

Describe the shape of the graph and explain why this is to be expected.

4d
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3 marks

When conducting the experiment, the scientist waits for a period of time between taking each reading. 

(i)
Explain the reason for waiting this short period of time.

[1]

(ii)
Describe what will happen to the shape of the graph if the scientist does not wait a sufficient period of time between readings. 

[2]

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5a
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2 marks

State the Pressure law of ideal gases.

5b
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3 marks

The pressure exerted by an ideal gas containing 9.7 × 1020 molecules in a container of volume 1.5 × 10–5 m3 is 2.8 × 105 Pa.

Calculate the temperature of the gas in the container in °C.

5c
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3 marks

The pressure of the gas is measured at different temperatures whilst the volume of the container and the mass of the gas remain constant.

qu-5c-figure-1

On the grid, sketch a graph to show how the pressure varies with the temperature.

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1a
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2 marks

A cylinder is fixed with an airtight piston containing an ideal gas of temperature 20 °C.

When the pressure, in the cylinder is 3 × 104 Pa the volume, is 2.0 × 10−3 m3

Calculate the number of gas molecules present in the cylinder.

1b
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2 marks

The piston is slowly pushed in and the temperature of the gas remains constant. 

Draw a graph by plotting three additional points on the axis to show the relationship between pressure and volume as the piston is slowly pushed in. 

qu-2-a
1c
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2 marks

The cylinder, cylinder X is connected now to a second cylinder, cylinder Y which is initially fully compressed. Cylinder Y has a diameter two times that of the diameter of cylinder X. The total number of molecules in the system remains the same. 

3-2-ib-sl-hard-sq-2c-q

Cylinder X is pushed down by a distance Δhx causing Y to move up a distance Δhy. The pressure and temperature within the system both remain constant. 

Determine the ratio Δhx : Δhy.

1d
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5 marks

Initially, the gas molecules are divided between both cylinders. The diameter, d, of cylinder X, is 16 cm. The piston in cylinder X is compressed at a constant rate until all of the gas is moved into cylinder Y over a period of 5 seconds. 

Assume that the volume of the connecting tube is negligible. 

(i)
Sketch and label a graph to show how the length of the cylinder Y, hy changes with time. 
[3]
(ii)
Calculate the power exerted during the compression.
[2]

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2a
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2 marks

A gas syringe is connected through a delivery tube to a conical flask, which is immersed in an ice bath. The syringe is frictionless so the gas pressure within the system remains equal to the atmospheric pressure 101 kPa.  

qu-3-a

The total volume of the conical flask and delivery tube is 275 cm3, and after settling in the ice bath whilst the ice is melting the gas syringe has a volume of 25 cm3

Calculate the total number of moles contained within the system.

2b
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3 marks

When the ice bath is heated at a constant rate it takes the following time to melt the ice and heat the water:

  • Time for ice to melt is 3 minutes
  • Time from ice melting to water boiling is 10 minutes
  • Time for water to boil is 3 minutes
(i)
Calculate the volume of the gas when the surrounding water reaches its boiling point.
[1]
(ii)
Sketch a graph on the axes below to show the process above.

qu-3-b
[2]
2c
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7 marks

A burner in the base of a hot air balloon is used to heat the air inside the balloon. 

Xg2friXs_qu-3-c

The mass of the balloon can be reduced by releasing sand from the basket of the balloon. 

(i)
Explain how the burner is used so the balloon can rise.
[3]
(ii)
Explain how the forces on the balloon change with altitude and as the mass of the balloon decreases.
[3]

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3a
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2 marks

A sealed container C has the shape of a rectangular prism and contains an ideal gas. The dimensions of the container are land h

rQpCK2bw_qu-5-a

  • The average force exerted by the gas on the bottom wall of the container is F
  • There are moles of gas in the container
  • The temperature of the gas is 

Obtain an expression in terms of F, and for the height of the container.

3b
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2 marks

A second container D contains the same ideal gas. The pressure in D is a fifth of the pressure in C and the volume of D is four times the volume of C. In D there are three times fewer molecules than in C. 

The temperature of cylinder D is 600 K. 

Calculate the temperature of cylinder C in °C.

3c
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3 marks

The temperature of a different container is 60 °C. At this temperature, the pressure exerted by the ideal gas is 1.75 × 105 Pa. The container is a cube and has a height of 4 cm. 

Calculate the number of molecules of gas in this container.

3d
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2 marks

In a different container F the pressure of the gas is measured at different temperatures whilst the volume and number of moles are kept the same. At a temperature of 273 K the pressure is 125 kPa.

Plot a graph to show how the pressure varies with temperature for this gas.

qu-5-d

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