PRE-FINAL EXAMI 1st law of Thermodynamics

Show your work.

1. What is thermodynamics?
Thermodynamics is the study energy transferred as heat and work.

2. What is internal energy?

Internal Energy is the sum of all kinetic and potential energy.

3. State the first law of thermodynamics.

The first law of thermodynamics states that the internal energy of a system changes from
Initial U to final U due to heat and work.

4. What is an adiabatic process?

An adiabatic process is a process where there is no transfer of heat.

5. What is an isothermal process?

An isothermal process is a process where temperature is constant.

6. Calculate ∆U for each of the following cases:

a. Q = + 51 kJ, W = - 15 kJ ∆U=+66kJ
b. Q = + 100. kJ, W = - 65 kJ ∆U=+165kJ
c. Q = - 65 kJ, W = - 20 kJ ∆U=-45kJ
d. In which of these cases does the system do work on the surroundings?
a,b, and c cases did work on the surroundings. Work is negative.

7. Calculate ∆U for each of the following:

a. Q = - 47 kJ, W = + 88 kJ ∆U=-135kJ
b. Q = + 82 kJ, W = + 47 kJ ∆U=+35kJ
c. Q = + 47 kJ, W = 0 ∆U=+47kJ
d. In which of these cases do the surroundings do work on the system?
a and b cases did work on the system. Work is positive.

8. A system releases 125 kJ of heat while 104 kJ of work is done on the system. Calculate
the change in internal energy (in kJ).
Q = - 125 kJ, W = -104 kJ ΔU= - 21 KJ

A system undergoes a process consisting of the following two steps:

Step 1: The system absorbs 73 J of heat while 35 J of work is done on it.
Step 2: The system absorbs 35 J of heat while performing 72 J of work.
Calculate the change in internal energy for the overall process (in J).

Step 1: ∆U=108J
Step 2: ∆U=-37J
Total ∆U= 71J
We will now investigate two thermodynamic systems.

Q+

In the figure above, two cylinders are filled with the same ideal gas. A piston is fit so that no gas
escapes; friction is negligible between the piston and the cylinder walls. The block is removed
from each piston, the piston moves upward.

9.In each case, does the gas do work or is work done on the gas? Explain your reasoning in
a few sentences.

In case A and B, work is done on the surroundings, work is positive. Internal pressure is
release and have decrease as the piston is removed.

9. Is there a larger transfer of thermal energy as heat between Gas A and the surrounding
or between Gas B and the surroundings? Explain your reasoning in a few sentences.
Draw an arrow 111on each figure indicating the direction of thermal energy flow.

Yes, there is a larger transfer of thermal energy as heat between Gas A and the
surroundings between Gas B and the surroundings because in Gas A , it a isothermal
expansion which means heat is constant and thermal heat must enter the system to
make up for the work being done while in Gas B it is within adiabatic walls which is a
perfectly insulated system and no transfer of heat occurs and temperature decreases.

10. For the expansion of Gas A, how do the work and heat involved in this process affect the
internal energy of the gas? Explain your reasoning in a few sentences.

The expansion of Gas A, heat and work are involve in this process affecting the internal
energy of the gas because in a isothermal process heat is constant and work done on the
surroundings is replaced by heat absorbed by the surroundings.

11. For the expansion of Gas B, how do the work and heat involved in this process affect the
internal energy of the gas? Explain your reasoning in a few sentences.

The expansion of Gas B, heat and work are involve in this process affecting the internal
energy of the gas because in a adiabatic process there is no transfer of heat and work
done on the surrounding decreases the temperature.
We will now investigate a real-life example!

Use the figure above to make a prediction.

12. What happens to the temperature of the gas inside the can as you allow the gas to
expand into the balloon?

The temperature of gas inside the can as you allow the gas to expand into the balloon
would decrease.

13. Why does this temperature change occur? Explain the reasoning for your answer in a few
sentences.

Note: Consider the system to be the balloon, the can, and the gas, everything outside of the can
and balloon is considered the surroundings. There is NO loss of gas molecules during this
expansion.

This temperature change occurs because when an ideal gas expands adiabatically, it
does work on the surrounding and there is no transfer of heat resulting to decrease in
internal energy of the system.

Now test your prediction with one of the air cans at the front of the room and make any
necessary corrections to your answers above.

14. Initially (within the first minute of the expansion), is this example more like an isothermal
expansion or an adiabatic expansion? Explain the reasoning for your answer in a few
sentences.

This is an example of an adiabatic expansion because the gas expansion of gas is much
more faster than the transfer of thermal energy.