A cylinder with a piston contains 0.300 mol of oxygen at 2.50*105 Pa and 360 K. The oxygen may be treated as an ideal gas. The gas first expands isobarically to twice its original volume. It is then compressed isothermally back to its original volume, and finally it is cooled isochorically to its original pressure. Find the work done by the gas during the initial expansion. Find the heat added to the gas during the initial expansion. Find internal-energy change of the gas during the initial expansion. Find the work done during the final cooling; Find the heat added during the final cooling; Find the internal-energy change during the final cooling; Find the internal-energy change during the isothermal compression

a) W = 900 J. b) Q = 3142.8 J. c) ΔU = 2242.8 J. d) W = 0. e) Q = 2244.78 J. g) Δ U = 0.

Explanation:

(a) Work done by the gas during the initial expansion:

The work done W for a thermodynamic constant pressure process is given as;

W = p Δ V

where

p is the pressure and Δ V is the change in volume.

Here, Given;

P 1 = i n i t i a l p r e s s u r e = 2.5 * 10^ 5 P a

T 1 = i n i t i a l t e m p e r a t u r e = 360 K

n = n u m b er o f m o l e s = 0.300 m o l

The ideal gas equation is given by

P V = nRT

where,

p = absolute pressure of the gas

V = volume of the gas

n = number of moles of the gas

R = universal gas constant = 8.314 K J / m o l K

T = absolute temperature of the gas

Now we will Calculate the initial volume of the gas using the above equation as follows;

PV = n R T

2.5 * 10 ^5 * V 1 = 0.3 * 8.314 * 360

V1 = 897.91 / 250000

V 1 = 0.0036 m ^3 = 3.6*10^-3 m^3

We are also given that

V 2 = 2 * V 1

V2 = 2 * 0.0036

V2 = 0.0072 m^3

Thus, work done is calculated as;

W = p Δ V = p * (V2 - V1)

W = (2.5 * 10 ^5) * (0.0072 - 0.0036)

W = 900 J.

(b) Heat added to the gas during the initial expansion:

For a diatomic gas,

C p = 7 / 2 * R

Cp = 7 / 2 * 8.314

Cp = 29.1 J / mo l K

For a constant pressure process,

T 2 / T 1 = V 2 / V 1

T 2 = V 2 / V 1 * T 1

T 2 = 2 * T 1 = 2*360

T 2 = 720 K

Heat added (Q) can be calculated as;

Q = n C p Δ T = nC * (T2 - T1)

Q = 0.3 * 29.1 * (720 - 360)

Q = 3142.8 J.

(c) Internal-energy change of the gas during the initial expansion:

From first law of thermodynamics;

Q = Δ U + W

where,

Q is the heat added or extracted,

Δ U is the change in internal energy,

W is the work done on or by the system.

Put the previously calculated values of Q and W in the above formula to calculate Δ U as;

Δ U = Q - W

ΔU = 3142.8 - 900

ΔU = 2242.8 J.

(d) The work done during the final cooling:

The final cooling is a constant volume or isochoric process. There is no change in volume and thus the work done is zero.

(e) Heat added during the final cooling:

The final process is a isochoric process and for this, the first law equation becomes,

Q = Δ U

The molar specific heat at constant volume is given as;

C v = 5 / 2 * R

Cv = 5 / 2 * 8.314

Cv = 20.785 J / m o l K

The change in internal energy and thus the heat added can be calculated as;

Q = Δ U = n C v Δ T

Q = 0.3 * 20.785 * (720 - 360)

Q = 2244.78 J.

(f) Internal-energy change during the final cooling:

Internal-energy change during the final cooling is equal to the heat added during the final cooling Q = Δ U.

(g) The internal-energy change during the isothermal compression:

For isothermal compression,

Δ U = n C v Δ T

As their is no change in temperature for isothermal compression,

Δ T = 0, then,

Δ U = 0.