---
title: "A student performs an experiment to determine the universal gas constant \\(R\\) using a sample containing a known amount \\(n\\) of an ideal gas. The student collects data for the pressure \\(P\\), volume \\(V\\), and temperature in degrees Celsius \\(T_C\\) across several trials in which both pressure and volume are varied. Which of the following describes the quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes to produce a linear graph, and the correct expression for the universal gas constant \\(R\\) in terms of the slope \\(m\\) of the line?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117414/"
date_modified: "2026-08-04T06:52:05+00:00"
---

# A student performs an experiment to determine the universal gas constant \(R\) using a sample containing a known amount \(n\) of an ideal gas. The student collects data for the pressure \(P\), volume \(V\), and temperature in degrees Celsius \(T_C\) across several trials in which both pressure and volume are varied. Which of the following describes the quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes to produce a linear graph, and the correct expression for the universal gas constant \(R\) in terms of the slope \(m\) of the line?

A student performs an experiment to determine the universal gas constant \(R\) using a sample containing a known amount \(n\) of an ideal gas. The student collects data for the pressure \(P\), volume \(V\), and temperature in degrees Celsius \(T_C\) across several trials in which both pressure and volume are varied. Which of the following describes the quantities that should be plotted on the vertical and horizontal axes to produce a linear graph, and the correct expression for the universal gas constant \(R\) in terms of the slope \(m\) of the line?

![A Cartesian graph with the vertical axis labeled PV and the horizontal axis labeled T_C. A straight line with a constant positive slope extends upward and to the right, intersecting the positive vertical axis at a non-zero intercept b. Extrapolating the line to the left shows an x-intercept at -273.15 on the horizontal axis. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1785826325-ijtJpv.jpg)

- **A.** Vertical Axis: \(PV\) | Horizontal Axis: \(T_C\) | Gas Constant: \(R = \dfrac{m}{273.15 n}\)
- **B.** Vertical Axis: \(PV\) | Horizontal Axis: \(T_C\) | Gas Constant: \(R = \dfrac{m}{n}\)
- **C.** Vertical Axis: \(P\) | Horizontal Axis: \(\dfrac{T_C}{V}\) | Gas Constant: \(R = \dfrac{m}{n}\)
- **D.** Vertical Axis: \(\dfrac{P}{T_C}\) | Horizontal Axis: \(\dfrac{1}{V}\) | Gas Constant: \(R = \dfrac{m}{n}\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/117414/*