1. Verification of Boyle’s Law
using a pressure sensor and a datalogger
T.H.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers is funded by the
Department of Education and Skills under the National Development Plan

2. Apparatus
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3. Apparatus
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4. Method Connect the pressure sensor to the datalogger
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5. Method Set the syringe to 20 cm3.
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6. Method Connect the syringe to the pressure sensor.
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7. Method Open your datalogging software, e.g. DataStudio.
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8. Method Click “Create Experiment”.
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9. Method Choose the correct sensor.
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10. Method Choose “Digits” from the display list.
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11. Method
Click “Start” and record the volume of air in the syringe and the pressure, p, from the display.
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12. Graph the pressure, p, against 1/V.
Repeat, changing the volume, V, of air in the syringe by pressing the piston.
Wait a moment for the air to return to room temperature after changing its volume.
Graph the pressure, p, against 1/V.
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13. Use the following table to draw a suitable graph to verify Boyle’s law.
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14. Remember!
Boyle’s law states that, for a fixed mass of gas, the pressure is inversely proportional to the volume as long as the temperature remains constant.
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15. Note: Don’t forget to draw a new table, using 1/V instead of V.
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16. Graph the points from the second table and draw the best straight line.
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17. This verifies Boyle’s law.
A straight line graph through the origin shows that p is proportional to 1/V.
This verifies Boyle’s law.
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18. © Tom Healy, Cabinteely Community School, Dublin.
Sources of Error
Take the readings from the syringe at eye level to avoid the error of parallax.
Pause between readings to allow the air in the syringe to return to room temperature .
© Tom Healy, Cabinteely Community School, Dublin.
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