What does the ideal gas law relate?

The ideal gas law is a fundamental equation in thermodynamics and relates four key properties of an ideal gas: pressure, volume, temperature, and the number of moles of gas. This relationship is encapsulated in the equation ( PV = nRT ), where ( P ) represents the pressure of the gas, ( V ) is its volume, ( n ) is the number of moles, ( R ) is the ideal gas constant, and ( T ) is the absolute temperature measured in Kelvin.

This law describes how changing one of these variables affects the others when dealing with an idealized gas, assuming no interactions between the gas molecules and that they occupy no volume themselves. For example, if the temperature of the gas increases, the pressure or volume must also adjust to maintain the relationship defined by the ideal gas law.

In contrast, the other choices do not reflect the comprehensive relationship captured by the ideal gas law. While mass might influence pressure and volume indirectly in certain situations, it is not a direct component of the law. Density could potentially relate to volume, but it does not encompass the broader characteristics of an ideal gas. Lastly, the color of a gas does not have any direct relationship with its physical properties described by the