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At 04:02 PM 4/21/99 +0100, David Shimell (shimell) wrote:

>As you say, counter intuitive - I will have to take your word for it - but I
>suppose it is understandable in a closed vessel which the increase in
>pressure due to the temperature increase.

David, think about this.  The density of a gas can be measured
by counting the number of molecules of the gas in a cubic
centimeter.  Let's say a SCUBA cylinder contains 100 molecules
of gas in every cubic centimeter.  Now, take that tank and
heat it up.  The pressure goes up, of course, but the 
total number of molecules hasn't changed... they're just
flying around faster.  The total volume of the tank hasn't
changed either.  If you count how many molecules of gas are
in each cubic centimeter now, the number is still the same...
they're just moving more quickly.

Since density is the number of molecules in each cubic
centimeter, and that number doesn't change when the tank
is heated (it only changes when you add or remove gas from
the tank) then if follows that the density doesn't change
either.

Does it make sense now?

-Mike Rodriguez
<mikey@ma*.co*>

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