WorkDonebyanExpandingGas

LearningGoal:Toderivetheexpressionfortheworkdonebyanexpandinggas,
tounderstandhowitfollowsfromtheexpression

,and

formechanicalwork.

Especiallyfromthehistoricallyimportantperspectiveofmakingenginestoconvertheatenergyinto
work,theworkinthermodynamicsisdefinedastheworkdonebythesystemontheexteriorworld,
andnotviceversaasisdoneintherestofclassicalmechanics.Inclassicalmechanics,onealways
considerstheworkdoneonasystembytheoutsideworld.Rarelydoesonethinkabouttheworkdone
bythesystem.Supposeyoupushalargeblockwithacertainforceofmagnitude oversomedistance.
Youhavedoneworkontheblock;hencetheenergyoftheblockshouldincrease.Accordingto
Newton's3rdlaw,theblockexertsthesamemagnitudeofforce ,butintheoppositedirection(i.e.,
directedbackatyou).Hence,theworkdonebytheblock(onyou)isnegative,sincethedirectionof
motionopposesthedirectionoftheforce.Insummary,youhavetobecarefulaboutthesignofthe
work:thesamesituationgivesoppositesignsoftheworkdependingonwhetherourperspectiveis
classicalmechanicsorthermodynamics.
Inthermodynamics,oneoftendealswithliquidsandgasesthatexertforcesontheircontainers(i.e.,the
fluidsexertpressureoveranarea).Ifthecontainerchangesvolume,thenthisforceactsthrougha
distanceandhencedoeswork.
Forasteamengine,theexamplepictured
here,the"container"isacylinderwhose
volumechangesasthepistonslidesinor
out.Supposeagasisconfinedwithinthe
cylinder.Thepressureofthegasis ,and
theareaofthecylinderis .Considerthe
workdoneasthegasexpands,pushingthe
pistontotheright.Calltheinfinitesimal
distancethepistonmoves

A. Whatforce doesthegasexert

onthepiston?(Notethatthe
positivexaxisistotherightinthe
figure.)
Expresstheforceintermsof , ,andanyconstants,
= p*A

B. Ifthepistonmovesadistance

,whatis

,theworkdonebythegas?

Expresstheworkdonebythegasintermsofgivenquantities.
= p*A*dx

C. Whatis

,theincreaseinvolumeofthegas?

Expressthedifferentialincreaseintermsof
= A*dx

andothergivenquantities.

D.

Nowfindtheworkdonebythegasintermsofthethermodynamicvariables.
Expressthedifferentialwork

intermsofthermodynamicvariablessuchasthegas's

pressure ,temperature ,volume ,anditschangeinvolume

= p*dV

E. Supposethatthegasexpandsfrom to atconstantpressure .Howmuchwork

is

donebythegas?
Expresstheworkintermsof

,and

= p_0*(V_1V_0)

F.

Istheworkyoujustcomputedpositiveornegative?
positive
negative

G. Assumenowthatthediameterofthepistonisreducedbyafactorof2.Whatistheamountof
work

donebyagasofpressure

Expressyouranswerintermsof

inexpandingfrom
,

to

,andsimplenumericalfactors.

= p_0*(V_1V_0)
[Print]

WorkIntegralinthepVPlane
Thediagramshowsthepressureand
volumeofanidealgasduringonecycleof
anengine.Asthegasproceedsfromstate1
tostate2,itisheatedatconstantpressure.
Itisthencooledatconstantvolume,untilit
reachesstate3.Thegasisthencooledat
constantpressuretostate4.Finally,thegas
isheatedatconstantvolumeuntilitreturns
tostate1.
A. Find
,theworkdonebythe
gasasitexpandsfromstate1to
state2.
Expresstheworkdoneinterms
of

and

= 9*p_0*V_0
B. Find

,theworkdonebythegasasitcoolsfromstate2tostate3.

Expressyouranswerintermsof
= 0

and

C. Find

,theworkdonebythegasasitiscompressedfromstate3tostate4.

Expressyouranswerintermsof

and

= 3*p_0*V_0
D. Find

,theworkdonebythegasasitisheatedfromstate4tostate1.

Expressyouranswerintermsof

and

= 0
E. Whatis

,thetotalworkdonebythegasduringonecycle?

Expressyouranswerintermsof

and

= 6*p_0*V_0
F. Whenthegasisinstate1,itstemperatureis
instate3.(Remember,thisisanidealgas.)
Express

intermsof

.Findthetemperature

ofthegaswhenitis

= (4/3)*T_1
[Print]
[BacktoProblemView]

VariousGasExpansions:pVPlotsandWork

Anidealmonatomicgasiscontainedinacylinderwithamovablepistonsothatthegascandowork
ontheoutsideworld,andheatcanbeaddedorremovedasnecessary.Thefigure

showsvariouspathsthatthegasmight
takeinexpandingfromaninitialstatewhosepressure,volume,andtemperatureare
respectively.Thegasexpandstoastatewithfinalvolume

,and

.Forsomeanswersitwillbeconvenient

togeneralizeyourresultsbyusingthevariable
volumes(equalto4fortheexpansionsshowninthefigure.)

,whichistheratiooffinaltoinitial

ThefigureshowsseveralpossiblepathsofthesysteminthepVplane.Althoughthereareaninfinite
numberofpathspossible,severalofthoseshownarespecialbecauseoneoftheirstatevariables
remainsconstantduringtheexpansion.Thesehavethefollowingnames:

Adiabiatic:Noheatisaddedorremovedduringtheexpansion.
Isobaric:Thepressureremainsconstantduringtheexpansion.
Isothermal:Thetemperatureremainsconstantduringtheexpansion.

A. Whichofthecurvesinthefigurerepresentsanisobaricprocess?
A
B
C
D
B. Whathappenstothetemperatureofthegasduringanisobaricexpansion?
Temperatureincreases.
Temperatureremains
constant.
Temperaturedecreases.
C. Whichofthecurvesinthefigurerepresentsanisothermalprocess?
A

D. Graphically,theworkalonganypathinthepVplot____________.
istheareatotheleftofthecurvefrom
istheareaunderthecurvefrom

to

to

requiresknowledgeofthetemperature

E. Calculate
Express

,theworkdonebythegasasitexpandsalongpathAfrom
intermsof

,and

= p_0*V_0*(R_v1)

F.

Calculatethework
Express

intermsof

donebythegasduringtheisothermalexpansion.
,

,and

= p_0*V_0*ln(R_v)
G. Whichofthecurvesshownrepresentsanadiabaticexpansion?
A

D
[Print]

Fastvs.SlowTirePumping

to

Imaginethefollowingdesignforasimpletirepump.Thepumpisfilledwithavolume
atmosphericpressure

andambienttemperature

ofairat

.Whenyoupushthepumphandle,theairis

compressedtoanew(smaller)volume ,raisingitspressure.Avalveisthenopened,allowingairto
flowfromthepumpintothetireuntiltheremainingairinthepumpreachesthepressureoftheairin
thetire, .
Inthisproblem,youwillconsiderwhetheryoucangetmoreairintothetireperpumpcyclebypushing
thepumphandlequicklyorslowly.
Wewillmakethefollowingsimplifyingassumptions:

Thepressureoftheairinthetire, ,doesnotchangesignificantlyasairflowsintothetire
fromthepump.
Thetemperatureoftheairinthepumpdoesnotchangesignificantlywhileairisflowinginto
thetire(i.e.,thisisanisothermalprocess).
Theairismainlycomposedofdiatomicmoleculeswith

A. Firstimaginethatyoupushthepumphandlequickly,sothatthecompressionofairinthe
pumpoccursadiabatically.Findtheabsolutetemperature
rapidcompressionfromvolume

tovolume

Expressyouranswerintermsof
=
B.

oftheairinsidethepumpaftera

,assuminganambienttemperatureof
,and

T_a*(V_i/V_f)^(gamma1)
or
T_a*(V_i/V_f)^(0.40)

Oncethetireandpumppressureshaveequilibratedat ,whatfraction ofthegas

particlesinitiallyinthepumpwillhaveendedupinthetire?
Expressthefractionintermsof ,
shouldnotappearinyouranswer.

,and .Thetemperatures

and

1(p_t/p_a)*(V_f/V_i)^gamma
or
=
1(p_t/p_a)*(V_f/V_i)^(1.40)
C. Nowimaginethatyoupushthepumphandleslowly,sothatthecompressionofairinthe
pumpoccursisothermally.Findtheabsolutetemperature
assuminganambienttemperatureof

oftheairinsidethepump

= T_a
D.

Oncethetireandpumppressureshaveequilibratedat ,whatfraction ofthegas

particlesinitiallyinthepumpwillhaveendedupinthetire?
Expressthefractionintermsof ,
shouldnotappearinyouranswer.
= 1(p_t/p_a)*(V_f/V_i)

,and .Thetemperatures

and

E. Assumethat
and
.Whichmethod,fastpumping(adiabaticprocess)or
slowpumping(isothermalprocess)willputalargeramountofairintothetireperpump
cycle?
fastpumping
slowpumping

CarnotCycle

AfterCountRumford(BenjaminThompson)andJamesPrescottJoulehadshowntheequivalenceof
mechanicalenergyandheat,itwasnaturalthatengineersbelieveditpossibletomakea"heatengine"
(e.g.,asteamengine)thatwouldconvertheatcompletelyintomechanicalenergy.SadiCarnot
consideredahypotheticalpistonenginethatcontained molesofanidealgas,showingfirstthatitwas
reversible,andmostimportantlythatregardlessofthespecificheatofthegasithadlimited
efficiency,definedas

,where

isthenetworkdonebytheengineand

ofheatputintotheengineata(high)temperature
necessarilyputanamountofheat

isthequantity

.Furthermore,heshowedthattheenginemust

backintoaheatreservoiratalowertemperature

ThecycleassociatedwithaCarnotengineisknownasaCarnotcycle.ApVplotoftheCarnotcycleis
showninthefigure.Theworkinggasfirst
expandsisothermallyfromstateAtostate
B,absorbingheat

fromareservoirat

temperature .Thegasthenexpands
adiabaticallyuntilitreachesatemperature
,instateC.Thegasiscompressed
isothermallytostateD,givingoffheat .
Finally,thegasisadiabaticallycompressed
tostateA,itsoriginalstate.
A. Indicatewhetherthefollowing
statementsaretrueorfalse:
1. Forthegastodopositive
work,thecyclemustbe
traversedinaclockwisemanner.
2. PositiveheatisaddedtothegasasitproceedsfromstateCtostateD.
3. Thenetworkdonebythegasisproportionaltotheareainsidetheclosedcurve.
4. TheheattransferredasthegasproceedsfromstateBtostateCisgreaterthanthe
heattransferredasthegasproceedsfromstateDtostateA.

Usetfortrueorfforfalse.Separateyouranswerswithcommas.
t , f , t , f

B. Findthetotalwork

donebythegasafteritcompletesasingleCarnotcycle.

Expresstheworkintermsofanyorallofthequantities

,and

Q_hQ_c
or
=
Q_h*(1T_c/T_h)

C. Supposethereare molesoftheidealgas,andthevolumesofthegasinstatesAandBare,
respectively,
stateB.

and

.Find

,theheatabsorbedbythegasasitexpandsfromstateAto

Expresstheheatabsorbedbythegasintermsof ,
reservoir

,thetermperatureofthehot

,andthegasconstant .

= n*R*T_h*ln(V_B/V_A)

D. ThevolumeofthegasinstateCis

,anditsvolumeinstateDis .Find ,the

magnitudeoftheheatthatflowsoutofthegasasitproceedsfromstateCtostateD.
Expressyouranswerintermsof ,

(thetemperatureofthecoldreservoir),

and .
= n*R*T_c*ln(V_C/V_D)

E. Now,byconsideringtheadiabaticprocesses(fromBtoCandfromDtoA),findtheratio
intermsof

and

= V_B/V_A

F. Usingyourexpressionsfor

and

findasimplifiedexpressionfor

(foundinPartsCandD),andyourresultfromPartE,
.

Novolumevariablesshouldappearinyourexpression,norshouldanyconstants(e.g.,
or ).
= T_c/T_h

G. Theefficiencyofanyengineis,bydefinition,

.Carnotprovedthatnoenginecan
haveanefficiencygreaterthanthatofaCarnotengine.Findtheefficiency
ofaCarnot
engine.
Expresstheefficiencyintermsof

and

= 1T_c/T_h
[Print]

IsothermalEngine
Considerathermalenginefilledwith
cyclictransformation,asshown.

moleculesofamonatomicidealgas.Thegasundergoesa

ProcessesABandCD
areisothermal(constanttemperature),andprocessesBCandDAareisochoric(constantvolume).
Thequantities
haspressure
given.

,and

andvolume

aredefinedinthefigure.Forexample,whenthegasisinstateA,it

;whenthegasisinstateB,ithasvolume

Workdonebythegas

A. Find

,theworkdonebythegasduringprocessAB.

Expresstheworkintermsof

,and/or

= p_2*V_1*ln(V_2/V_1)

B. Find

,theworkdonebythegasduringprocessBC.

Expressyouranswerintermsof

,and/or

= 0

C. Find

,theworkdonebythegasduringprocessCD.

Expressyouranswerintermsof

,and/or

= p_1*V_2*ln(V_2/V_1)

D. Find

,theworkdonebythegasduringprocessDA.

Expressyouranswerintermsof

,and/or

,butthepressureisnot

= 0
Theinternalenergy
Now,youwillinvestigatethechangeinthegas'sinternalenergyduringeachofthefoursegmentsofits
cycle.Youmayfindithelpfultorecallthat,foramonatomicidealgas,
theheatcapacityofthegasatconstantvolume.

A. Whatisthechangeininternalenergy

,where

is

duringtheprocessAB?

Expressthechangeininternalenergyintermsof

,and/or

= 0

B. Whatisthechangeininternalenergy

duringtheprocessBC?

Expressthechangeininternalenergyintermsof

,and/or

= (3/2)*(p_1*V_2p_2*V_1)

C. Whatisthechangeininternalenergy
Expressyouranswerintermsof

duringtheprocessCD?
,

,and/or

= 0

D. Whatisthechangeininternalenergy
Expressyouranswerintermsof

duringtheprocessDA?
,

,and/or

= (3/2)*(p_1*V_2p_2*V_1)
E. Whatisthetotalchangeinthegas'sinternalenergyafterithascompletedacycle?
= 0
Heat
Finally,considertheheatabsorbedbythegasduringitscycle.Define
tobeheatabsorbedbythe
gasinprocessAB,etc.Ifaprocessisexothermic(i.e.,heatisgivenoffbythegasduringtheprocess),
thenthequantityofheatabsorbedwillbenegative.
A. Indicatetheprocessesinthiscycleduringwhichheatisflowingintothegas.Thatis,indicate
thesegmentswhere ispositive.
DAonly
CDandDA
DAandAB
ABandBC
[Print]

HeatPumpsandRefrigerators
LearningGoal:Tounderstandthataheatenginerunbackwardisaheatpumpthatcanbeusedasa
refrigerator.
Bynowyoushouldbefamiliarwithheatenginesdevices,theoreticaloractual,designedtoconvert
heatintowork.Youshouldunderstandthefollowing:
1.
2.

Heatenginesmustbecyclical;thatis,theymustreturntotheiroriginalstatesometimeafter
havingabsorbedsomeheatanddonesomework).
Heatenginescannotconvertheatintoworkwithoutgeneratingsomewasteheatinthe
process.

Thesecondcharacteristicisarigorousresultevenforaperfectengineandfollowsfrom
thermodynamics.Aperfectheatengineisreversible,anotherresultofthelawsofthermodynamics.
Ifaheatengineisrunbackward(i.e.,witheveryinputandoutputreversed),itbecomesaheatpump

(aspicturedschematically

).Work

mustbeputintoaheatpump,anditthenpumpsheatfromacoldertemperature

toahotter

temperature ,thatis,againsttheusualdirectionofheatflow(whichexplainswhyitiscalleda"heat
pump").Thebigsurpriseisthatthelawsofthermodynamicsseemtoallowmorethan100%efficiency:
Theheatcomingoutthehotside ofaheatpumportheheatgoingintothecoldside ofa
refrigeratorismorethantheworkputin;infactitcanbemanytimesaslarge.Forthisreason,theratio
oftheheattotheworkinheatpumpsandrefrigeratorsiscalledthecoefficientofperformance.Ina
refrigerator,thisistheratioofheatremovedfromthecoldside

toworkputin:

.
Inaheatpumpthecoefficientofperformanceistheratioofheatexitingthehotside
in:

totheworkput

.
A. Whatistherelationshipof
Express
= W

intermsof

totheusualthermodynamicdefinitionofwork
andotherquantitiesgivenintheintroduction.

B. Find

,theheatpumpedoutbytheidealheatpump.

Express

intermsof

and

= W_in+Q_c
C. Aheatpumpisusedtoheatahouseinwinter;theinsideradiatorsareat

andtheoutside

heatexchangerisat .Ifitisaperfect(e.g.,Carnotcycle)heatpump,whatis
coefficientofperformance?
Giveyouranswerintermsof

and

,its

= T_h/(T_hT_c)
D. Theheatpumpisdesignedtomoveheat.Thisisonlypossibleifcertainrelationshipsbetween
theheatsandtemperaturesatthehotandcoldsidesholdtrue.Indicatethestatementthatmust
applyfortheheatpumptowork.
and

and

and

and

E. Assumethatyouheatyourhomewithaheatpumpwhoseheatexchangerisat

,and

whichmaintainsthebaseboardradiatorsat
.Ifitwouldcost$1000toheatthe
houseforonewinterwithidealelectricheaters(whichhaveacoefficientofperformanceof
1),howmuchwoulditcostiftheactualcoefficientofperformanceoftheheatpumpwere
75%ofthatallowedbythermodynamics?
Expressthecostindollars.
Cost= 187.5 dollars
[Print]