If a medical gas cylinder is exposed to a change in temperature, then the pressure within the cylinder will change. The final pressure will depend on the initial pressure and the new temperature.
Starting with the ideal gas law:
P * V = n * R * T
where:
• P = pressure in atmospheres
• V = volume in liters
• n = moles of the gas
• R = universal gas constant 0.08205 liters atmosphere per degree °K per mole
• T = temperature in °K = 273.15 + °C
For a gas cylinder, volume, n and R are constant, while the P and T will vary.
If the ideal gas law is manipulated:
pressure at the new temperature =
= (pressure at initial temperature) * ((new temperature in °C) + 273.15) / ((initial temperature in °C) + 273.15)
The pressure at the new temperature will be in the same units as the initial pressure.
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