What relationship is described by Boyle's Law?

Boyle's Law specifically describes the inverse relationship between the pressure of a gas and its volume when the temperature and the amount of gas are held constant. According to this law, as the volume of a gas decreases, the pressure increases, provided the temperature remains unchanged. This relationship can be mathematically expressed as ( P \propto \frac{1}{V} ) or ( PV = k ), where ( P ) represents pressure, ( V ) represents volume, and ( k ) is a constant for a given amount of gas at a specific temperature.

This principle is applicable in various real-world situations, such as understanding how breathing works. When the diaphragm expands, the volume in the chest cavity increases, leading to a decrease in pressure that allows air to flow into the lungs. Conversely, if the diaphragm contracts and the volume decreases, pressure increases, pushing air out of the lungs.

The other relationships identified in the choices—temperature and volume, temperature and pressure, and volume with the number of gas particles—are described by different gas laws, such as Charles's Law and Avogadro's Law, but they do not pertain specifically to Boyle's Law.