In Avogadro’s Law, the constant ‘k’ represents a proportionality constant that relates the volume of a gas to the number of moles of that gas at a constant temperature and pressure. Specifically, Avogadro’s Law states that at a given temperature and pressure, the volume of a gas is directly proportional to the number of moles of gas present. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
V = k * n
Where:
- V is the volume of the gas.
- n is the number of moles of the gas.
- k is the proportionality constant.
The value of ‘k’ depends on the units used for volume and the conditions (temperature and pressure) under which the gas is measured. For example, if volume is in liters and the number of moles is in moles, ‘k’ can be expressed in liters per mole (L/mol). This means that if you increase the number of moles of gas, the volume will increase proportionally, provided that temperature and pressure remain constant. Hence, understanding ‘k’ is crucial for applying Avogadro’s Law in practical situations.