Why does a tire pressure increase on a hot day?

By Gay-Lussac's law, heating the air inside the tire (roughly constant volume) increases the pressure proportionally.

Can a closed container explode from heating?

Yes. If the pressure exceeds the container's structural limit, it will fail. This is why pressurized containers have safety relief valves.

Is this the same as the combined gas law?

Gay-Lussac's law is a special case of the combined gas law (P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2) where volume is constant.

Free Gay-Lussac's Law Calculator

Calculate gas behavior at constant volume using Gay-Lussac's law: P1/T1 = P2/T2.

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Initial Pressure

atm

Initial Temperature

Final Temperature

Final Pressure

1.5000 atm

Final Pressure vs Initial Pressure

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Gay-Lussac's Law

At constant volume, the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.

Formula

P1 / T1 = P2 / T2

Heating a gas in a rigid container increases its pressure.

Example Calculation

A sealed container at 1 atm and 300 K heated to 450 K.

01P1/T1 = P2/T2
02P2 = P1 * T2 / T1
03P2 = 1 * 450 / 300
04P2 = 1.5 atm

Frequently Asked Questions

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Free Gay-Lussac's Law Calculator

Gay-Lussac's Law

Formula

Example Calculation

Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Newton's Laws of Motion

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