CHAPTER 10

THERMODYNAMIS OF GASES
10.1 HEAT CAPACITIES
10.2 WORK DONE BY A GAS
10.3 FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS
10.4 ISOTHERMAL AND ADIABATIC
CHANGES
 10.1 HEAT CAPACITIES
Learning outcomes:
Students should be able to:
1. Define heat capacity, specific heat capacity and molar
heat capacity
2. Use the equations:

Q=C∆ϴ, Q=mc ∆ϴ, Q=nCv,m ∆ϴ, Q=nCp,m ∆ϴ

10.1 HEAT CAPACITIES
  
 10.1 HEAT CAPACITIES
 Specific heat capacity, c of substance is the
amount of heat required to raise the temperature of
a unit mass of substance by 1K.
 The specific heat capacity c of a substance is
related to its heat capacity C by the equation

C
c
where
m m=mass of substance

 SI unit: J kg-1 K-1

 10.1 HEAT CAPACITIES
 The molar heat capacity Cm of a substance is the amount of heat required
to raise the temperature of one mole of the substance by 1 K.
 A gas has two heat capacities, one at constant volume and another at
constant pressure.
 Cv,m - molar heat capacity of a gas at constant volume
 Heat required to raise the temperature of one mole of the gas
by 1 K at constant volume
 The heat supplied to increase the temperature of n moles of
gas by ∆T  ∆Q=nCv,m ∆T
 10.1 HEAT CAPACITIES

 Cp,m - molar heat capacity of a gas at constant pressure

 Heat required to raise the temperature of one mole of the gas
by 1K at constant pressure
 The heat supplied to increase the temperature of n moles of
gas by ∆T  ∆Q=nCp,m ∆T
 Cp,m > Cv,m

Heat supplied is only used to increase the internal energy of the gas
When 1kg gas is heated at constant volume, the gas does not expand and no
work is done by the gas. The heat supplied to raise the temperature is only
used to increase the internal energy of the gas.
However, when 1kg gas is heated at constant pressure, the gas expands and
work is done. The heat supplied is used to increase the internal energy of the
gas and for the gas to do work.
Cp,m > Cv,m work is done against external pressure when the gas
expands.
 Example:
The heat capacity of 0.5 kg of beryllium is 985 J K-1. Calculate
(a) The specific heat capacity
(b) The molar heat capacity
For beryllium
Hence, find the amount of heat required to raise the
temperature of 3.8 kg of beryllium by 2.7 K.
[Relative atomic mass of beryllium = 9]

Ans: a) 1970 J kg-1K-1

b) 20212.2 J
Answer

 a) c = C/m = (985/0.5) J kg-1 K-1

= 1970 J kg-1 K-1
b) Cm = mrc/1000 = [(9 x 1970)/(1000)] J mol-1 K-1
= 17.73 J mol-1 K-1
Q = mc∆ϴ = 3.8 x 1970 x 2.7 J
= 20212.2 J
10.2 WORK DONE BY A GAS
Learning outcomes:
Students should be able to:
Derive and use the equation for
work done by a gas

W   pdV
 WORK DONE BY A GAS

If the gas expands from V1 to

V2, the work done by the gas
𝑉
is   2

𝑊 =∫ 𝑝𝑑𝑉
𝑉1

The force on the piston is F = pA,

where p is pressure of a gas
Work done by the gas : Expansion
WORK DONE ON A GAS

When the gas compress from

V1’ to V2’, the work done on
the gas is

Since V2’ < V1’, the value of

work done is negative.
 For an ideal gas which is compressed according Boyle’s Law:

 =  
=
Work done, W =

 
=

 
=

 
=

 
=

𝑉
  1 𝑉
  2  = -
 =
GAS EXPANDS AT CONSTANT PRESSURE
GAS EXPANDS AT CONSTANT PRESSURE