Boyle's law

Boyle's law implies that if a quantity of an ideal gas is to be compressed at constant temperature so that its volume is reduced by one half (from v to v/2) its pressure must be doubled (from p/2 to p)

For a given mass of gas held at a constant temperature, pressure (p) and volume (v) are inversely proportional. That is,

pv = constant.

Boyle's law is strictly true only for an ideal gas. It is named after Robert Boyle who reported it in 1662, but was actually discovered by Boyle's assistant R. Townely. The French physicist Edmé Mariotte discovered it independently in 1676.

Related entries

   • gas laws
   • Charles' law
   • ideal gas law

Related categories

• HEAT AND THERMODYNAMICS
• PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

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