Divers often inflate heavy duty balloons attached to salvage items on the sea floor. If a balloon is filled to a volume of 1.20 L at a pressure of 6.25 atm, what is the volume of the balloon when it reaches the surface?

7.50 L

Explanation:

The balloon has a volume of 1.20 L (V₁) when the pressure at the sea floor is 6.25 atm (P₁). When it reaches the surface, the pressure is that of the atmosphere, that is, 1.00 atm (P₂). If we consider the gas to behave as an ideal gas and the temperature to be constant, we can calculate the final volume (V₂) using Boyle's law.

P₁ × V₁ = P₂ × V₂

V₂ = P₁ × V₁ / P₂

V₂ = 6.25 atm × 1.20 L / 1.00 atm

V₂ = 7.50 L