Beaches, Bathing, Bum Luck and Boyle’s Law

 

 

 

Objective:

 

 

Materials:  TI-83+, CBL with pressure sensors with accompanying 20 ml syringe

 

Procedure:

1.      Distribute the BAYWATCH story and have the students read.

2.      Research the dangers of scuba diving and Boyle’s Law.

3.      Class brainstorming session on research.

4.      Set up the CBL, pressure sensor and syringe

5.      Demonstrate the use of the syringe and the pressure sensor.

6.      Distribute data sheet.

7.      Students collect data and complete the data sheet.

Beaches, Bathing, Bum Luck and Boyle’s Law

 

In this activity you will record the pressure of a sample of air trapped in a syringe barrel. You will change the volume of the air sample by adjusting the syringe plunger, then record the new pressure. You will repeat this process several times for different volumes. The results you get will display an elegant mathematical relationship between the pressure and volume of a fixed amount of gas.

Materials:  TI-83+, CBL with pressure sensors with accompanying 20 ml syringe

Procedure:

1.  Set up the calculator, CBL and pressure sensor as in the diagram. (Connect the gas pressure sensor to CH 1)

 

 

  1. Select the DATAMATE program under APPS on the TI-83+.
  2. Disconnect the syringe from the gas pressure sensor.  Set the initial

      volume at 14 cc and reconnect.  Record the pressure.  Push the syringe       until the volume is 7cc, record the pressure.

  1. Slowly pull the syringe down by increments of 1cc.  Record the volume and pressure for each change.
  2. Complete the data sheet.

 

Baywatch Lab                                                Name ________________________

                                                                        Date _________________ Period ___

 

Data

 

Divers location

Volume (cc)

Pressure

(kPa)

Surface

14

 

Lowest dive

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. What is the independent variable in this experiment?

2. What is the dependent variable in this experiment?

 

3.  Graph the data in the coordinate plane. 

 

  1.   Convert the pressures from kilopascal to atmospheres.

 

 

 

 

  1. As the pressure decreases what happens to the volume?

 

 

  1. Describe the relationship between pressure and volume?

 

 

  1. Hypothesize what caused the scuba diver to suffer illness when he returned to the surface.  Warning—You must use the information from your investigation in your hypothesize, answer using two or more sentences.

 

 

Beaches, Bathing, Bum Luck and Boyle’s Law

           

            Your very successful private chemical consulting firm Sleuths ‘R Us is needed to review this script idea for a new BAYWATCH episode.  Here’s the scenario.

 

            The BAYWATCH team is called to a rescue in Hanama Bay in Oahu, just east of Honolulu, Hawaii.  It appears a novice scuba enthusiast who just completed his first dive is collapsed on the beach almost unconscious, experiencing extreme joint pain and labored breathing.  From a description of the events of the accident by his swimming partner, the man presumably rose too fast from his dive. The BAYWATCH team will try to uncover the cause of his problem as the show goes on and of course everyone will live happily ever after at the end of the show.  The swimming partner, a female, will fall in love with the downed scuba diver as she presumably saves his life.

 

            Your company needs to hypothesize what specifically happen to the diver as he rose. You will need to provide data to support you hypothesis that the scriptwriters can use as the “doctors” debrief the BAYWATCH team.

 

            Begin your background research by call up this website on Internet to read about the physics of Scuba diving. http:\\www.aquaholic.com/gassses/laws.htm  Specifically note the link to Boyle’s Law.  Read carefully and develop some ideas as you work with your fellow consultant.