The Thirteenth Labor of Heracles

The Thirteenth Labor of Heracles is a mythological tale describing a forgotten labor of the great hero Heracles. In completing this labor, Heracles not only earns his freedom, but also gains an understanding of the natural world. Specifically, this tale centers around the laws that govern the behavior of gasses.


This reading, and the problems that it incorporates, complements an introductory chemistry course discussing the states of matter. It presents clear descriptions of how the gas laws operate independently and how they come together into a Combined Gas Law.