Question

Which statement correctly relates the variables described in Boyle’s law?

Answer 1

Step 1 - Understanding Boyle's Law

Boyle's Law is an empirical observation concerning the behavior of gases. When the temperature is kept constant, Boyle observed that a linear relationship arised between pressure and volume.

Boyle observed they were inversely proportional, i.e., raising the pressure would decrease the volume and vice-versa. We can state it mathematically as:

$P_1V_1=P_2V_2$

Which means that the multiplication between pressure and volume is a constant value:

$PV=k$

Step 2 - Finding the correct statement

We can start by looking for the statements which contain "constant temperature". In the absence of this condition, Boyle's Law is inconsistent. We are left thus with itens a and b.

Since Boyle's Law involves multiplication, not the quotient between the variables pressure and volume, the correc statement in item b (the 2nd one from top to bottom).