PH210x Principles of Thermodynamics

C-2014 QUIZ 2
Ali Yalaz

This is a take home quiz with 4 questions. You are required to do all 4 questions.
Remember: you will be rated from 0 to 5 on your work, so clarity and neatness count.




















1) A particular system was measured in two ways: 1) by varying the pressure P and volume per mole v
the internal energy per mole u was found to behave as u = 3/2Pv; 2) by varying the temperature T
and volume per mole the internal energy per mole was also found to behave as u
1/2
= BTv
1/3
, where B
is a positive constant. From these observations, what is the fundamental entropy equation (either
total S or per mole s) of this system?

, so

, so

Combining these two:

2) A tank (gas cylinder) has a volume of V1 = 0.1 m3 and is filled with He gas (to be considered
monotonic and ideal) at a pressure P1i = 5 MPa. A second tank with V2 = 0.15 m3 is also filled with He
gas but at a pressure P2i = 6 MPa. Both tanks are connected together by a valve with the tanks walls
being adiabatic and rigid.

a. If both tanks are at the same temperature T and the valve is opened, what is the final
pressure in both tanks (the system), P1f = P2f = Pf ?

b. If the tanks are reset to their initial pressures before opening the valve but the temperature
of the tanks are T1i = 300 K and T2i = 350 K, what is the final temperature of the system
(tanks), Tf ?

I.

II.

Closed system,

3) A system can be taken from state A to state B where SA = SB either by (a) directly along the adiabat S
= constant, or (b) first along an isochore A to C and then along the isobar C to B. The difference in the
work done by the system is simply the area enclosed between the two paths in a PV diagram. Does this
contradict the statement that the work delivered to a reversible work source (RWS) is the same for
every reversible process? Explain.






















The fact that the system can follow two different paths to reach state B from state A does not
contradict the statement that the work delivered to a reversible work source (RWS) is the same for
every reversible process.

The system can moves from state A to state B by two paths, one reversible and one irreversible.
Energy and entropy are state functions, so UA, UB-, SA and SB are the same for both paths, since the
two paths connect the same initial and final states. The change in energy is UBUA=Q+W. Then

Figure 2:
path (b)
U (P, V)
U
1
(P
1
, V
1
)
P
V
U (P, V)
U
1
(P
1
, V
1
)
Figure 1:
path (a)
P
V
a) Reversible case:
S=0Ssys=SBSA<0
Shs=Ssys
by definition of the reversible heat source/sink
Wr=UBUAQ=UBUAShsThs=UBUA+SsysThs

b) Irreversible:
S>0Ssys=SBSA<0
Since U and S are state functions, so SA and SB are the same for the system as before
Shs=SSsys
Wi=UBUA(SsysS)Ths
Wi<Wr by an amount SThs.

Basically, we have a choice: we can either get the amount of work in case (a), or we can choose to
turn some of it into more heat in case (b), and still the amount of work that we deliver is the same. As
long as the initial and the final states are the same, the path doesnt matter in this case.














4) One mole (n = 1) of a monotonic ideal gas is contained in a cylinder of volume Vi = 1 L is at T = 400 K.
This system is to be brought to a final state of Vf = 2 L and T = 400 K. A cold thermal reservoir at 300 K
and a reversible work source (RWS) are available. What is the maximum work that can be delivered by
the gas to the RWS?

For a low density gas C
v
=constant, we find:
(

( )

System
AB

Work source Heat source
Q
W