Which option best describes the increase in pressure when the volume of a plastic bottle
decreases?
uniform
uneven
by a factor of 10
not at all

A. uniform

Explanation:

We can solve this problem by using Boyle's law, which states that:

"For a constant mass of an ideal gas kept at constant temperature, the pressure of the gas is inversely proportional to its volume".

Mathematically:

where

p is the pressure of the gas

V is its volume

If we apply the equation to the bottle in the problem, we see that:

- when the volume of the bottle (and therefore, of the gas inside) decreases, than the pressure will increase

- viceversa, when the volume of the bottle increases, the pressure will decrease

The amount by which the pressure increases is inversely proportional to the decrease in volume, so the answer depends on how the volume of the bottle decreases: however, if the volume of the bottle decreases uniformly, then we can say that the pressure inside the bottle will also increases uniformly.

Uniform

Explanation:

The Boyle's law gives the relation between the pressure and the volume. It states that "when temperature is constant, the product of pressure and volume is constant or pressure is inversely proportional to the volume of an ideal gas".  

i.e.

If the pressure in the plastic bottle increases uniformly, the volume of a plastic bottle  decreases uniformly. So, the correct option is (a).