ENGINEERING LABORATORY IV

Polytropic Process (Boyle’s Law)

MATRIX NO. MEMBERS

AD150268 SAM WEN HAO
AD150040 NUR ZULEIKHA BINTI ZAM ZAM
AD150276 PENG LI YING
AD150232 PEE JIUN SIANG
AD150029 SYED INSYIRAH BIN SYD.YASIN
SECTION : 1

DATE: 13/3/17

LECTURER : ENCIK AHMAD DAUD BIN MOHD DAIM

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to find the relation between pressure and volume in
isothermal condition.

Equipment

Gas thermometer, hand vacuum and pressure pump, stand base, stand rod, 2 units of
clamp with jaw clamp, ambient temperature indicator and atmospheric pressure indicator.

Gas
Thermometer

Mercury seal
Hand pump

h (height of air column)

Ventilation valve

Figure (1) : Boyle’s Law Apparatus

Gas thermometer

1) A device to measure temperature by measuring the pressure exerted by a definite

amount of gas enclosed in a constant volume; the gas (preferably hydrogen or

helium) is enclosed in a glass or fused-quartz bulb connected to a mercury

manometer.

2) The thermodynamic temperature scale was realized over the range -183 °C to

100 °C by using a helium constant volume gas thermometer.

Hand pump

1) Hand pumps are manually operated pumps, they use human power and

mechanical advantage to move fluids or air from one place to another.

2) Ventilation valve of the hand pump is to reduce the pressure.

Ambient temperature indicator

1) Ambient temperature indicator is used for record surrounding temperature.

2) The unit of temperature been used is Calcius. Its scale of temperature range is

from -50 ° to 1200 °.

3) This device was using power supply .

Atmospheric pressure indicator

1) Is the device for measure atmospheric pressure.

2) The atmosphric pressure indicator will change and is affected by altitude of

surrounding,

3) The unit of pressure been used is in kilopascal (kPa).

Introduction

The gas laws are physical laws describing the behaviors of a gas under various conditions
of pressure, volume, and temperature. One of the earlier gas laws is Boyle’s law that was
found and advanced by Robert Boyle in 1662. He investigated the relationship between
the volume of a dry ideal gas and its pressure. Robert Boyle fixed the amount of gas and
its temperature during his investigation. He found that the pressure and volume of a gas
are inversely proportional to one another. A practical math expression of Boyle’s finding
is as follows

p1V1 = p2V2

where, 1 = initial value

2 = final values

A polytropic process is a thermodynamic process that obeys the relation:

P𝑉 𝑛 = C

where P is the pressure, V is specific volume, 𝑛 is the polytropic index (a real number),
and C is a constant. The polytropic process equation can describe multiple expansion and
compression processes which include heat transfer.

If the ideal gas law applies, a process is polytropic if and only if the ratio (K) of energy
transfer as heat to energy transfer as work at each infinitesimal step of the process is kept
constant:

K= δQ/δW = constant

 is an isobaric process,

 is an isochoric process.
In addition, when the ideal gas law applies:

 is an isothermic process,

 is an adiabatic process.

Hence, we use for isothermal process, n = 1.

THEORY

In this experiment the Boyle’s law is confirmed by means of a gas thermometer. The gas
thermometer consists of glass capillary open at one end. A certain quantity of air is
enclosed by means of a mercury seals. At an outside pressure, 𝑃0 the enclosed air has a
volume, V0. By pumping off air at room temperature with a hand pump, an under pressure
ΔP with respect to the outside pressure is generated at the open end of the capillary. The
mercury seal itself exerts a pressure on the enclosed air. The pressure of mercury seal is
given by.

PHg = ρHg . g. hHg

where,

ρHg = density of mercury = 13600 kg/m3

g = acceleration of gravity = 9.81 m/s2

hHg = height of the mercury seal (m)

Therefore, the pressure of the enclosed air is,

 P = P0 + PHg + ΔP

Where,

𝑷𝟎 = atmosphere pressure

ρHg = pressure of mercury

ΔP = pressure different

The volume, V of an enclosed air column is determined by the pressure, P. V can be

calculated from the height, h of the air column and the cross-section of the capillary,
where,

𝝅𝒅𝟐
V = A.h = .h
𝟒

And d = inside diameter of the capillary = 2.7mm

Safety Precaution

1. Read and understand all the experiment procedure before the experiment start.

2. Request the permission from lecturer or lab assistant before start doing the

experiment.
 3. Wear safety glasses and lab coat while doing the experiment.

4. Make sure your eyes are perpendicular to the reading scale of the pressure
gauge to prevent parallax error.
5. Do not increase or decrease the pressure differential, ∆p too quickly. This can

may the mercury to overshoot and cause a spill.

6. If there is a spill of mercury, report to the lecturer or lab assistant immediately

and do not touch the mercury without taking any precaution step.

7. Clean and rearrange back the apparatus to original position after the

experiment.

Experiment Procedure

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in the Figure (2) below and make sure there is no

mercury spilled out.

2. Measure and record the ambient temperature,𝑇𝑜 and ambient pressure,𝑝𝑜 before

the experiment start.

3. Ensure the pressure reading of the hand pump is 0 mbar before the experiment

start. The pressure of the hand pump can be released by pressing the ventilation

valve of the hand pump.

4. Measure and record the height of the mercury,ℎ𝐻𝑔 for pressure difference ∆𝑝 =

0 mbar before the experiment start.

5. Measure and record the height of the air column,ℎ𝐴𝑖𝑟 for pressure difference

∆𝑝 = 0 mbar before the experiment start.

6. Generate the pressure differential, ∆𝑝 = −50mbar, read the height of the air

column, ℎ𝐴𝑖𝑟 and record it together with pressure difference, ∆𝑝.

7. Repeat step 6 by increasing the pressure difference of -50mbar until it reaches the

maximum , ℎ𝐴𝑖𝑟 and record the data obtained.

8. Measure the ambient temperature, 𝑇𝑜 and ambient pressure, 𝑝𝑜 after the

experiment.

Fifure (2) : Boyle’s Law Apparatus

Result

Atmosphere pressure, po (bar) = _______ (before experiment) _______ (after

experiment)

Ambient temperature, To (oC) = ______ (before experiment) ______ (after experiment)

Height of mercury seal, hHg = ________ (mm)

∆p (mbar) hHg (mm) p (bar) 1/p (bar) V (m3)

0.0
-50.0
-100.0
-150.0
-200.0
-250.0
-300.0
 -350.0
Table 1: Pressure and volume measurements

Analysis

When ∆𝑃 = 0

𝑃𝐻𝐺 = 𝜌𝐻𝐺 𝑔 ℎ𝐻𝐺

= (13600)(9.81)( ℎ𝐻𝐺 )

𝑃 = 𝑃0 + 𝑃𝐻𝐺 + ∆𝑃

= 𝑃0 + 𝑃𝐻𝐺 + 0

𝜋𝑑2 ℎ
𝑉 = 𝐴ℎ =
4