Main Entry: Charles' law

Variant(s): also Charles's law \ˌchärl(-zə)z-\

Function: noun

: a statement in physics: the volume of a given mass of gas at a constant pressure varies directly as its absolute temperature

Charles \shȧrl\ , Jacques–Alexandre–César (1746–1823), French physicist and inventor. Charles discovered the law that bears his name about 1787. He was a pioneer in the field of ballooning who conceived the idea of using hydrogen as the medium of displacement and in 1783 participated in the first hydrogen balloon flight.