Chemistry – States of matter - Solids, liquids and gases | e-Consult

When the pressure of a gas increases, the volume of the gas decreases. This occurs because the increased pressure signifies a greater force exerted by the gas particles per unit area. Pressure is related to the force exerted by the particles and the area they impact.

Increasing the pressure means that the gas particles are being forced closer together. This happens because the external force (pressure) is pushing the particles into a smaller space. With fewer particles occupying the same volume, the frequency of collisions between the particles and the container walls increases.

From a kinetic theory perspective, the increased pressure implies that the particles are colliding with the container walls more frequently. To accommodate these more frequent collisions, the particles must be closer together, resulting in a reduction in the overall volume of the gas. The volume decreases proportionally to the increase in pressure, assuming the temperature remains constant.