Charles’s Law E-practical
A realistic 3D virtual physics experiment
This experiment confirms that at constant pressure the volume of a fixed amount of a gas is proportional to the temperature
Realistic experimental technique
Operate the apparatus yourself, make measurements and collect your own data. The experiment can be done badly, just like the real experiment, so the quality of the result depends on the care taken.
Useful when laboratory access is limited
E-practicals are 3d, highly realistic emulations based on a blend of theory and the actual practicals, giving an authentic experience of doing the actual practical in a laboratory. Students operate the apparatus, make measurements and obtain their own results. It is designed to reproduce the experience of performing the practical rather than simply demonstrating the underlying physics. Like a real experiment, it can be done badly. Careless setup or measurements can produce poor results, so students have to apply experimental technique and take care with their measurements.
Works directly in a browser
No installation is required. Windows, Mac and suitable mobile devices can run the WebGL e-practical.
Watch it in action
This shows how the e-practical can be used. In particular it shows how the student or teacher interacts with the apparatus and how the interaction can be controlled using the mouse or the alternative on-screen controls.
What you get
The application is supplied as a PowerPoint which provides background, a synopsis of what the student will learn, a description of the Physics involved, a description of the apparatus, the independent and dependent variables, the method, a link to the interactive online e-practical, analysis of the results and further discussion.
School/Department licence £9.99
Valid for 1 year
Introduction
Charles’s law states that at constant pressure the volume of a fixed amount of a gas is proportional to the temperature.
The law takes its name from Jacques Charles (1746-1823) who discovered the law in the 1780s but failed to publish it. He was partly responsible for the first hydrogen balloon flight. Joseph Gay-Lussac discovered the law independently . John Dalton demonstrated that the law applied to all gases.
What students do
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At 5ᵒ intervals take the temperature of the water and the length of the trapped volume of air use +/- to zoom). As the temperature of the water approaches that of the laboratory the cooling rate will slow.
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You can cool the water more rapidly by adding cold water from the tap.
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If you add cold water (use mouse wheel over tap) you will need to ensure that the water in the beaker is well mixed otherwise you will get erroneous readings for the temperature.
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You can stir the water using the thermometer (use mouse wheel over thermometer).
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Use the readings to complete this table (extend the number of rows down to 25o).
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Add a column for volume and calculate the volumes from the lengths.
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When you have completed the table plot a graph of V against T. Draw the best fit straight line through your data points. The straight line vindicates Charles’s law.
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Other Physics E-Practicals
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This section is adapted from material developed by Dr Robert Lucas and is related to the book High School and Undergraduate Physics Practicals, published by CRC Press.