Question

How will the volume of a gas be affected if the pressure is tripled, but the temperature remains the same?

Answer 1

It decreases by a factor of `1/3`.

Explanation:

Boyle's law states that the pressure of a gas and the volume it occupies are inversely proportional.

`V prop 1/P`

Therefore, if the `sfcolor(red)("pressure")` `sfcolor(red)("increases"` by a factor of `3` (tripled), then at constant temperature, we expect the `sfcolor(blue)("volume"` to `sfcolor(blue)("decrease"` by a factor of `1/3` ("cut in third").