BASIC THERMODYNAMICS PROBLEM SET

1. A 10-cm diameter copper ball is to be heated from 100°C to an average temperature of 150°C in 30
minutes (refre figure below). Taking the average density and specific heat of copper in this
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝐽
temperature range to be 𝜌 = 8950 𝑚3 and 𝑐𝑝 = 0.395 𝑘𝑔∙℃ respectively, determine (a) the total
amount of heat transfer to the copper ball, (b) the average rate of heat transfer to the ball, and (c)
the average heat flux.
Figure:

2. 1.2 kg of liquid water initially at 15°C is to be heated to 95°C in a teapot equipped with a 1200-W
electric heating element inside (refer figure below). The teapot is 0.5 kg and has an average specific
𝑘𝐽 𝑘𝐽
heat of 0.7 𝑘𝑔 · °𝐶. Taking the specific heat of water to be 4.18 𝑘𝑔 · °𝐶 and disregarding any heat
loss from the teapot, determine how long it will take for the water to be heated.
Figure:

3. A 5-m-long section of an air heating system of a house passes through an unheated space in the
basement (refer figure below). The cross section of the rectangular duct of the heating system is 20
cm x 25 cm. Hot air enters the duct at 100 kPa and 60°C at an average velocity of 5 m/s. The
temperature of the air in the duct drops to 54°C as a result of heat loss to the cool space in the
basement. Determine the rate of heat loss from the air in the duct to the basement under steady
conditions. Also, determine the cost of this heat loss per hour if the house is heated by a natural gas
furnace that has an efficiency of 80 percent, and the cost of the natural gas in that area is
Php5.60/therm (1 therm = 100,000 Btu =105,500 kJ).
Figure:

4. Consider a house that has a floor space of 2000 ft2 and an average height of 9 ft at 5000 ft elevation
where the standard atmospheric pressure is 12.2 psia (refer figure below). Initially the house is at a
uniform temperature of 50°F. Now the electric heater is turned on, and the heater runs until the air
 temperature in the house rises to an average value of 70°F. Determine the amount of energy
transferred to the air assuming (a) the house is air-tight and thus no air escapes during the heating
process and (b) some air escapes through the cracks as the heated air in the house expands at
constant pressure. Also determine the cost of this heat for each case if the cost of electricity in that
area is Php10.00/kWh.
Figure:

5. The roof of an electrically heated home is 6 m long, 8 m wide, and 0.25 m thick, and is made of a flat
𝑊
layer of concrete whose thermal conductivity is 𝑘 = 0.8 𝑚 · °𝐶 (refer figure below). The
temperatures of the inner and the outer surfaces of the roof one night are measured to be 15°C and
4°C, respectively, for a period of 10 hours. Determine (a) the rate of heat loss through the roof that
night and (b) the cost of that heat loss to the home owner if the cost of electricity is Php10.00/kWh.
Figure:

6. A thin metal plate is insulated on the back and exposed to solar radiation at the front surface (refer
figure below). The exposed surface of the plate has an absorptivity of 0.6 for solar radiation. If solar
𝑊
radiation is incident on the plate at a rate of 700 𝑚2 and the surrounding air temperature is 25°C,
determine the surface temperature of the plate when the heat loss by convection and radiation equals
the solar energy absorbed by the plate. Assume the combined convection and radiation heat transfer
𝑊
coefficient to be 50 𝑚2 · °𝐶.
Figure:
7. Consider a refrigerator whose dimensions are 1.8 m x 1.2 m x 0.8 m and whose walls are 3 cm thick.
The refrigerator consumes 600 W of power when operating and has a COP of 2.5. It is observed that
the motor of the refrigerator remains on for 5 minutes and then is off for 15 minutes periodically. If
the average temperatures at the inner and outer surfaces of the refrigerator are 6°C and 17°C,
respectively, determine the average thermal conductivity of the refrigerator walls. Also, determine
the annual cost of operating this refrigerator if the unit cost of electricity is Php 10.00/kWh.
Figure:

8. A 1 − 𝑚3 container, shown in the figure below, is filled with 0.12 𝑚3 of granite, 0.15 𝑚3 of sand,
𝑘𝑔
and 0.2 𝑚3 of liquid 25◦C water; the rest of the volume, 0.53 𝑚3, is air with a density of 1.15 3 .
𝑚
Find the overall (average) specific volume and density.
Figure:

9. The hydraulic piston/cylinder system shown in the figure below has a cylinder diameter of D = 0.1 m
with a piston and rod mass of 25 kg. The rod has a diameter of 0.01 m with an outside atmospheric
pressure of 101 kPa. The inside hydraulic fluid pressure is 250 kPa. How large a force can the rod
push with in the upward direction?
Figure:
10. What is the pressure at the bottom of the 7.5-m-tall storage tank of fluid at 25◦C shown in the figure
below? Assume that the fluid is gasoline with atmospheric pressure 101 kPa on the top surface.
Repeat the question for the liquid refrigerant R-134a when the top surface pressure is 1 MPa.
Figure:

11. A piston/cylinder with a cross-sectional area of 0.01 𝑚2 is connected with a hydraulic line to another
piston/cylinder with a cross-sectional area of 0.05 𝑚2. Assume that both chambers and the line are
filled with hydraulic fluid of density 900 kg/m3 and the larger second piston/cylinder is 6mhigher up
in elevation. The telescope arm and the buckets have hydraulic piston/cylinders moving them, as
seen in the figure below. With an outside atmospheric pressure of 100 kPa and a net force of 25 kN
on the smallest piston, what is the balancing force on the second larger piston?
Figure:

12. Determine the phase for each of the following water states using the property or steam tables (you
can search it) and indicate the relative position in the P–v, T–v, and P–T diagrams.
a. 120◦C, 500 kPa
𝑚3
b. 120◦C, 0.5 𝑘𝑔

13. A closed vessel contains 0.1 𝑚3 of saturated liquid and 0.9 𝑚3 of saturated vapor R-134a in
equilibrium at 30◦C. Determine the percent vapor on a mass basis. Use property/steam tables. Draw
diagram.

14. A tank containing a fluid is stirred by a paddle wheel. The work input to the paddle wheel is 5090 kJ.
The heat transfer from the tank is 1500 kJ. Consider the tank and the fluid inside a control surface
and determine the change in internal energy of this control mass. Draw diagram.

15. Determine the missing property (P, T, or x) and v for water at each of the following states. Use
property or steam tables. Draw diagram.
 a. T = 300◦C, u = 2780 kJ/kg
b. P = 2000 kPa, u = 2000 kJ/kg

16. The piston/cylinder setup show in the figure below contains 0.5 kg of ammonia at −20◦C with a quality
of 25%. The ammonia is now heated to +20◦C, at which state the volume is observed to be 1.41
times larger. Find the final pressure, the work the ammonia produced, and the heat transfer. Use
property or steam tables.
Figure:

17. The piston/cylinder setup shown in the figure below contains 0.1 kg of water at 1000 kPa, 500◦C.
The water is now cooled with a constant force on the piston until it reaches half of the initial volume.
After this it cools to 25◦C while the piston is against the stops. Find the final water pressure and the
work and heat transfer in the overall process, and show the process in a P–v diagram. Use property
or steam tables.
Figure:

18. A cylinder fitted with a piston has a volume of 0.1 𝑚3 and contains 0.5 kg of steam at 0.4MPa. Heat
is transferred to the steam until the temperature is 300◦C, while the pressure remains constant.
Determine the heat transfer and the work for this process. Use property or steam tables.
Control mass: Water inside cylinder.
Process: Constant pressure, 𝑃2 = 𝑃1
Initial state:𝑃1 , 𝑣1 , 𝑚; therefore, 𝑣1 is known, state 1 is fixed (at 𝑃1 , 𝑣1 , check
steam tables—two-phase region).
Final state: 𝑃2 , 𝑇2; therefore, state 2 is fixed (superheated).
Diagram: Figure below.
Model: Steam tables.
Figure:
19. Calculate the change of enthalpy as 1 kg of oxygen is heated from 300 to 1500 K. Assume ideal-gas
behavior. Use property or steam tables. Draw diagram.
𝑙𝑏𝑓
20. A cylinder fitted with a piston has an initial volume of 2 𝑓𝑡 3 and contains nitrogen at 20 𝑖𝑛2 , 80 F.
𝑙𝑏𝑓
The piston is moved, compressing the nitrogen until the pressure is 160 𝑖𝑛2 and the temperature is
300 F. During this compression process heat is transferred from the nitrogen, and the work done on
the nitrogen is 9.15 Btu. Determine the amount of this heat transfer. Draw diagram and use
property/steam tables.
Control mass: Nitrogen.
Process: Work input known.
Initial state: P1, T1, V1; state 1 fixed.
Final state: P2, T2; state 2 fixed.
Model: Ideal gas, constant specific heat with value at 540 R

Prepared by:

Engr. Homer O. Gaganao