Boyle's Law Calculator

What Is Boyle's Law?

Boyle's law describes how pressure and volume of a gas change at constant temperature. Pressure and volume are inversely proportional: compressing a gas raises its pressure, and expanding it lowers pressure.

Boyle's Law Formula

$$P_1 V_1 = P_2 V_2$$

$P_1$ and $V_1$ are initial pressure and volume; $P_2$ and $V_2$ are final values. The product $PV$ stays constant during an isothermal (constant temperature) process.

Example: a gas at 100 kPa in 2 m³ compressed to 1 m³ reaches $P_2 = 100 \times 2 / 1 = 200$ kPa.

Real-World Applications

Boyle's law explains syringe suction, lung breathing mechanics, scuba tank behavior, and balloon expansion at altitude. It applies to ideal gases at constant temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What conditions must hold for Boyle's law?

Temperature and amount of gas (mass or moles) must stay constant. The process is called isothermal.

Can I solve for any of the four variables?

Yes. Enter three known values and select which variable to find. The calculator rearranges $P_1 V_1 = P_2 V_2$ automatically.

What units should I use?

Use consistent units for pressure (kPa, atm, psi) and volume (m³, L). Mixing units without conversion gives wrong results.

Is Boyle's law the same as the ideal gas law?

Boyle's law is a special case of the ideal gas law when temperature and moles are fixed, leaving only pressure and volume to vary.

What happens when volume halves?

Pressure doubles, because $P \propto 1/V$ at constant temperature. Halving $V_2$ doubles $P_2$ if $P_1 V_1$ is unchanged.

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What Is Boyle's Law?

Boyle's Law Formula

Real-World Applications

Frequently Asked Questions

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