Exercise 1.

Conceptual questions [30p]

a) In the figure on the right a pV-diagram of an ideal gas,

processes that represent a refrigeration cycle are shown.
Indicate during which process or processes (AB, BC, CD or DA)
heat is absorbed by the ideal gas. Explain your choice. (5p)

CD and DA.
CD is an isobaric process, W is negative, U is positive (because temperature of state D is
higher than state C), therefore Q is positive.
DA is an isochoric process, W is zero, U is positive (because temperature of state A is higher
than state D), therefore Q is positive.

(only with explanation 5p, if one of the answer is correct 2p)

b) In the figure on the right shows a pV-diagram of a process for an ideal

gas. Sketch the corresponding Temperature Volume diagram of the
same process, clearly indicate the states A and B and the direction of
the process. (5p)

It should be a square root plot (𝑉 2 ~ 𝑇), not starting from 0

Right direction (1p)
Square root (or parabola) (4p)

c) Write the multiplicity of an Einstein solid at T = 0 K? (2p)

S=0, S=klnΩ; Ω = 1 (2p)

d) An ideal gas is heated in two different ways, see the figure on the
right. One of the two processes is isobaric and the other is isochoric.
Indicate which of the two processes is isobaric and which is isochoric
and explain your choices. (4p)

A isochor
B isobar
𝑑𝑇 𝑇 𝑇
Isochoric: 𝑄 = 𝑛𝑐𝑣 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑇𝑑𝑆; 𝑑𝑆 = 𝑛𝑐 = 𝐶
𝑣 𝑣

𝑑𝑇 𝑇 𝑇
Isobar: 𝑄 = 𝑛𝑐𝑝 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑇𝑑𝑆; 𝑑𝑆 = 𝑛𝑐 = 𝐶
𝑝 𝑝

𝑐𝑝 > 𝑐𝑣
[With explanation 4p, no explanation 0p]
e) In the figure on the right two processes of an ideal gas are shown,
each with the same amount of ideal gas (= n is equal). Indicate and
explain which of these processes has a larger volume. (4p)

B is the right answer

pV = nRT
dP/dT = nR/Vconstant
larger the volume smaller is the slope for a constant n.

[With explanation 4p, no explanation 0p]

f) In the figure on the right a cycle of an ideal gas is shown. The cycle
consists of an isobaric, isothermal and isochoric process.
Which statement is true? Explain you answer (5p)

A. |WAB|>|QBC|
B. |WAB|=|QBC|
C. |WAB|<|QBC|
D. None of the above can be concluded from the given information

Answer A
|𝑄𝐵𝐶 | = |𝑊𝐵𝐶 |
|𝑊𝐴𝐵 | > |𝑊𝐵𝐶 |
[With explanation 5p, no explanation 0p]

g) Two cylinders, each equipped with a moveable piston, contain equal numbers of moles of
gas. One cylinder contains helium (He), while the other contains nitrogen (N2). If the same
quantity of heat, Q is added to each gas and each is allowed to expand at constant pressure,
what can you say about the temperature change ∆T for the two gases. (5p)

(a) the same

(b) greater for helium
(c) greater for nitrogen

Answer b

1 𝑓+2
𝑄 = 𝑛𝑐𝑝 ∆𝑇; 𝑐𝑝 = 𝑐𝑣 + 𝑅; 𝑐𝑝 = 𝑓𝑅 + 𝑅 = 2 𝑅;
2
1 2
∆𝑇 ∝ =
𝑐𝑝 2 + 𝑓
f = 3 for Helium and f = 5 for nitrogen, therefore temperature change of Helium is higher.
[With explanation 5p, no explanation 0p]
Exercise 2: Processes with an ideal gas (28p)

A certain amount of an ideal gas is in state A as indicated in the figure.

VA = 0.1 Liter; pA = 30.0 bar; TA = 300 K, f = 5
a) Show that the number of moles of the ideal gas in this system is 1/8.315 moles. (2p)
Ideal gas law: n = pAVA/RTA
(procedure shown 2p otherwise zero)

b) Show this. (3p)

Take the adiabat AC.

𝛾 𝛾
𝑝𝐴 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑝𝐶 𝑉𝐶
𝑓+2
𝛾=
𝑓
(procedure shown 3p otherwise zero)

c) Evaluate W, Q and U for all the four quasistatic processes and copy these in the table.
Mind the sign. Show your calculations and methodology. Writing a numerical value
alone as an answer is not sufficient. (13p)
Only numerical values without explanation 0p

W (J) Q (J) U (J)

AB (isochoric) 0 -725 -725
AC (adiabatic) -466 0 -466
AD (isothermal) -1020 1020 0
AD (linear) -4495 4495 0

1
𝑐𝑣 = 𝑓 2 𝑅 (2p)

Isochoric process (AB): W = 0 (0.5p), ∆𝑈 = 𝑛𝑐𝑉 ∆𝑇 (1p), Q = ∆𝑈 (0.5p)

(procedure shown and correct answers 2p, wrong answers but correct procedure 1p)

Adiabatic process (AC): Q = 0 (0.5p), ∆𝑈 = 𝑛𝑐𝑉 ∆𝑇 (1p), 𝑊 = ∆𝑈 (0.5p)

(procedure shown and correct answers 2p, wrong answers but correct procedure 1p)
 𝑉
Isothermal process (AD): ∆𝑈 = 0 (0.5p), 𝑊 = −𝑛𝑅𝑇 ln 𝑉𝐷 (2.0p), Q = -W (0.5p)
𝐴

(procedure shown and correct answers 3p, wrong answers but correct procedure 1.5p)

Linear process (AD): -𝑊 = − ∫ 𝑝𝑑𝑉 (2p), ∆𝑈 = 𝑛𝑐𝑉 ∆𝑇 (0.5p), 𝑄 = ∆𝑈 − 𝑊 (1.5p)

(procedure shown and correct answers 4p, wrong answers but correct procedure 2p)

d) Calculate the Work and the change in internal energy in this non-quasistatic process.
(4p)

𝑊 = −𝑝𝑒𝑥𝑡 (𝑉𝐸 − 𝑉𝐴 )
𝑊 = −290 𝐽

∆𝑈 = 𝑄 + 𝑊
∆𝑈 = 100 𝐽

e) Calculate the pressure and temperature of state E. (3p)

∆𝑈 = 𝑛𝑐𝑉 (𝑇𝐸 − 𝑇𝐴 )
TE = 340 K
PE = 1.13 bar

f) Calculate the change in entropy of the system. (3p)

The central idea is that you take a set of quasistatic processes to go from state A to state E.
There can be infinite such paths. In this exercise the volume of state D and E are the same.
Take path AD (isothermal) and DE (isochoric).

𝑉 𝑇
∆𝑆𝐴𝐸 = ∆𝑆𝐴𝐷 + ∆𝑆𝐷𝐸 = 𝑛𝑅 ln 𝑉𝐷 + 𝑛𝑐𝑉 ln 𝑇 𝐸
𝐴 𝐷

3.71 J/K
(reasoning and equations are correct as well as answer, 3p, otherwise 1.5p)

Exercise 3. Multiplicity (10p)

a) Explain the number of macro states this system can have. (2p)
36 (2p)
b) Calculate the probability that the system is in this specific macro state. (5p)
ΩA = 480700; ΩB =21474180; Ωtot = 1.8364E14; 1p per correct multiplicity
P = 5.62% (2p)

c) Name the macro state with the highest probability. Elaborate your answer. (3p)
qA = 14 and qb = 21 (1p), the energy packets are proportionately distributed across the
oscillators (2p)

Exercise 4. Cooling of an ideal gas and entropy change (12p)

An ideal gas at an initial temperature of 600 K is cooled by transferring heat to the
surrounding, which can be assumed to stay at a constant temperature T∞ equal to 300 K.
The final temperature attained by the gas is equal to 300 K. The gas is enclosed by a
weightless, frictionless piston; therefore the pressure of the gas is constant during the
cooling process.

The number of degrees of freedom of the gas, f = 5

The number of moles of the ideal gas is n = 1

a) Calculate the change in entropy of the gas between the final and the initial state.
(4p)

1
𝑐𝑉 = 𝑓 2 𝑅
𝑐𝑝 = 𝑐𝑣 + 𝑅 (1.5p)
𝑇
∆𝑆 = 𝑛𝑐𝑝 ln 𝑇 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 (2.5p)
𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙

(procedure shown and correct answers 4p, wrong answers but correct procedure 2p)

b) Calculate the heat transfer from the surroundings to the gas. (3p)
𝑄 = −𝑛𝑐𝑝 ∆𝑇
(procedure shown and correct answers 3p, wrong answers including sign but correct
procedure 1.5p)

c) Calculate the entropy change of the cold reservoir. (3p)

∆𝑆 = |𝑄|/𝑇∞
(procedure shown and correct answers 3p, wrong answers including sign but correct
procedure 1.5p)

d) Calculate the entropy change of the universe (2p)

∆𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒 = ∆𝑆𝑔𝑎𝑠 + ∆𝑆𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑟
(procedure shown and correct answers 2p, wrong answers including sign but correct
procedure 1p)

Exercise 5. Entropy (20p)

a) Explain the reason that this system may be treated as a thermal reservoir.
The S,U-line is linear so temperature will be constant over this U range (3p)

b) Calculate the temperature of this thermal reservoir.

(1.59−1.52)𝐸6
(5.23−5)𝐸3
= 304𝐾 (exact answer is not necessary because the methodology and
the order of magnitude must be correct)

Knowing that you need the slope (2p)

Calculating the slope (2p) (when units are not correct only 0p)

The reservoir will absorb 5 kJ of heat.

c) Calculate with which factor the multiplicity of the system will increase (you may give
your answer as power of e)
dS = 16.45J/K -> Ωratio = 𝑒 16.45/𝑘 =𝑒 1.19𝐸24
S = k ln(Ω) (1p)
Ωratio = 𝑒 16.45/𝑘 =𝑒 1.19𝐸24 (3p)

d) Calculate the amount of heat transferred to or from the thermal reservoir, after
thermal equilibrium is achieved. Use the figure in the appendix to show clearly your
approach.
Start punt U=950J, S=13.8 J/K
Equilibrium at U = 375J, S = 12.65 J/K -> Q = 950-375=575J
Equilibrium at same slope (1p)
Reading U value (1p)
Q = 950-375=575J (2p) (error margin for right slope)

e) Calculate the entropy change of the universe when thermal equilibrium is achieved.
ΔSgas = 12.65-13.8=-1.15 J/K (2p)
ΔSres = 575/304=+1.89 J/K -> (depends on answer a) (2p)
ΔSres = 0.74 J/K (1p)