10 Charles Law Examples in Real Life

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Wanna know what are the top 10 Examples of Charles Law in Real Life? If yes, then you are at the right place at the very right time. Charles Law is an Ideal Gas Law that establishes a relation between volume and temperature at constant pressure.

In other words, according to Charles’s law definition; the volume of a gas increases with an increase in temperature at constant pressure and vice versa. Jaques Charles’s law is also known as the Law Of Volumes.

Related, Boyle’s Law – The Law Of Constant Temperature

This phenomenon was demonstrated by French Scientist, Inventor, and Mathematician Jacques Charles who first proposed this law in his unpublished work in the 1780s.

Charles Law Examples in Real Life

  • Hot Air Balloon
  • Bursting of a Deodorant
  • Bakery Products
  • Turkey Pop-Up Timer
  • Opening of a Soda Can
  • Helium Balloon on Cold Day

Hot Air Balloon

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A Hot Air Balloon/Credit: Wikimedia Commons

People often ask questions like – how do hot air balloons fly? Or how do hot air balloons work? Any guesses!!! Of course, whatever you are thinking it’s correct. The answers to all these questions lie in the vicinity of Charles Law.

In fact, if I talk about the history of hot air ballooning, Charles’s law and hot air balloons are somehow related. In other words, Jacques Charles himself was one of the famous hot-air balloonists.

He was notably one of the few people who flew the world’s first hydrogen balloon flight. The principle behind the working of a hot air balloon is quite simple.

Parts of a hot air balloon basically consist of an Envelope that stores heated air, a Burner, and a Basket or Gondola to carry passengers.

When the fuel source is ignited, the air inside the envelope gets heated. Charles’s Law states that with an increase in the temperature of the air, the volume of the air will also increase.

Therefore, as a result, the density of air contained in an envelope becomes lighter than the density of the outside atmosphere. Hence, due to buoyant force, a hot air balloon flies high; up in the sky.

Bursting of a Deodorant Bottle

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Do not expose to direct sunlight/Credit: Amazon.in

Well, in today’s world, we all are well aware of the fact of what deodorants are. And why are they being used? I also wonder how many of us get a chance to read the instructions written as warning signs such as a ” pressurized container, protect it from sunlight. Do not expose to temperature exceeding 50°C”.

Check out the latest Top 6 Applications Of Gay-Lussac’s Law

Ever thought about why? Well yes, your guess is correct. It’s because of Charle’s Law. According to Charles’s law definition; under high temperatures, the gas molecules inside the deodorant bottle expand. Therefore, leads to the bursting of the deodorant bottle…!!!

Bakery Products

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A Delicious Cake/Credit: Medium

If you love bakery products like bread and cakes, you can thank Jacques Charles. Charles Law’s application in real life can be seen in our kitchen too. In order to make bread and cakes soft and spongy, yeast is used for fermentation.

Recommended, Top 6 Real-Life Applications of Boyle’s Law

Yeast produces carbon dioxide gas. When bread and cakes are baked at high temperatures; with an increase in temperature, carbon dioxide gas expands.

As a result of this expansion, our bread, and cakes become deliciously spongy and fluffy in appearance and ready to serve.

Turkey Pop-Up Timer

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Turkey pop-up timer works on Charles law/Credit: Huffington Post

As I said, there are numerous applications of Charles law in our kitchen too. The working of the Turkey Pop-Up Timer is based on Charles’s Law Of Thermodynamics.

As it states that a gas tends to expand when heated”, the same phenomenon works for the Pop Up Turkey Thermometer. The turkey thermometer is placed inside the turkey.

Check out the Top 6 Most Common Examples of Condensation

As the turkey cooks, the gas inside the thermometer expands with an increase in temperature. Therefore, the turkey thermometer pops up; indicating that the turkey is cooked and ready to serve.

Opening of a Soda Can

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A Soda Can/Credit: Wikihow

Have you ever wondered why when you open a chilled soda can, you hardly see any bubbles? On the contrary, when you open a warm enough soda can, bubbles spill out of the drink. Any idea why? Yup, you are right. It happens because of the Charles Law Of Thermodynamics.

Must read, Gay Lussac’s Law – The Law Of Constant Volume 

According to Charles’s law definition, in a chilled soda can, due to low temperature, there is a decrease in the volume. That’s why you hardly see any bubbles coming out of the soda can.

On the other hand, in a warmer soda can, due to the high temperature, there is an increase in the volume. That’s why bubbles spill out of the drink.

Helium Ballon on Cold Day

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Helium balloon shrinks during colder days/Credit: Balloonacy

Well, everyone is quite aware of what a helium balloon is. We all remember that during our childhood days when we stepped outside our home with a helium balloon on chilly days (winter season of course).

Editor’s Choice: Dalton’s Law – The Law of Partial Pressure

The balloon will shrink a bit due to the degree of coldness or decrease in temperature. It happens because of Charles’s gas Law.

According to Charles’s law definition; when the temperature decreases so does the volume of helium gas inside a balloon. On the other hand, when the same balloon is brought back to a worm room, it regains its original shape.

Some Other Real Life Charles Law Examples

Apart from the above-mentioned ones, I am also mentioning a few here.

  • Ping-Pong Ball
  • Tyre
  • Pool Float
  • Working of Engine, etc.

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I am a mechanical engineer by profession. Just because of my love for fundamental physics, I switched my career, and therefore I did my postgraduate degree in physics. Right now I am a loner (as ever) and a Physics blogger too. My sole future goal is to do a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, especially in the field of cosmology. Because in my view, every aspect of physics comes within the range of cosmology. And I love traveling, especially the Sole one.

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