Gay–Lussac (pressure) law – proportionality at constant volume According to the pressure law, the absolute pressure of a fixed mass of a perfect gas varies __________ with its absolute temperature when the volume is held constant.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: directly

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Gay–Lussac’s pressure law (also called Amontons’ law) describes how pressure changes with temperature for a gas in a rigid container. It is one of the fundamental ideal-gas relationships used in thermodynamics and gas dynamics.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Fixed mass of a perfect gas.
  • Volume constant (isochoric process).
  • Absolute scales for pressure and temperature are used.


Concept / Approach:
From the ideal-gas equation pV = mRT, at constant V and m, pressure is proportional to temperature: p ∝ T. Thus, when temperature increases, pressure increases in direct proportion provided the gas behaves ideally and the container volume does not change.



Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Write pV = mRT.2) For fixed V and m, rearrange to p = (mR/V) * T.3) Coefficient (mR/V) is constant → p ∝ T.4) Therefore select “directly.”



Verification / Alternative check:
Plotting p against T for an isochoric process yields a straight line through the origin when using absolute units, consistent with the law and common laboratory observations with pressure gauges and gas bulbs.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Indirectly/logarithmically/square root/independent: none match the linear proportionality dictated by the ideal-gas equation at constant volume.


Common Pitfalls:
Using Celsius instead of kelvin; a linear relation holds only with absolute temperature.



Final Answer:
directly

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