Boyle's Law: Verification

Boyle's law says that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume. Below is a table of data presented by Robert Boyle in 1662. Boyle and an assistant carried out an experiment in which a parcel of gas was subjected to a steadily increased applied pressure. They measured the volume of the gas and the total pressure (in arbitrary units) at various intervals. Demonstrate that these data obey Boyle's law. (Hint: What relationship does Boyle's law say the data should have to each other? Show the data have that relationship.)

volume pressure
48 29.125
46 30.5625
44 31.9375
42 33.5
40 35.3125
38 37
36 39.3125
34 41.625
32 44.1875
30 47.0625
28 50.3125
26 54.3125
24 58.8125
23 61.3125
22 64.0625
21 67.0625
20 70.6875
19 74.125
18 77.875
17 82.75
16 87.875
15 93.0625
14 100.4375
13 107.8125
12 117.5625
(Download a copy of the Boyle data in a spreadsheet file by clicking here.)

volume	pressure
48	29.125
46	30.5625
44	31.9375
42	33.5
40	35.3125
38	37
36	39.3125
34	41.625
32	44.1875
30	47.0625
28	50.3125
26	54.3125
24	58.8125
23	61.3125
22	64.0625
21	67.0625
20	70.6875
19	74.125
18	77.875
17	82.75
16	87.875
15	93.0625
14	100.4375
13	107.8125
12	117.5625

Reference

Robert Boyle, A Defence of the Doctrine Touching the Spring And Weight of the Air (1662)

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