Answer to Problem Exercise no.

3
Direction: The following problems are applications of First Law of Thermodynamics. Each problem has final
answer already. Try your best to compute and come up with correct and complete solutions.

1. When a system is taken from state a to state b along the path acb, 80.00 J of heat flow in the system,
and 30.00 J of work is done.

a. How much heat flows into the system along the path adb if the work is 10.00 J?
Qacb = 80 J and Wacb = 30 J
Qadb = ? if Wadb = 10 J
Qadb = ΔUadb + Wadb, since ΔU is path independent, ΔUadb = ΔUacb
ΔUacb = Qacb – Wacb = 80 J – 30 J = 50 J = ΔUadb
Qadb = 50 J + 10 J = 60 J
b. When the system is returned from b to a along the curved path, the work is 20.00 J. Does the system absorb
or release heat, and how much?
Wba = - 20 J (compression, - since V decreses from path b to a)
Qba = ΔUba + Wba, since ΔU is path independent, ΔUab = ΔUacb = ΔUabd = 50 J
ΔUba = Ua – Ub = - (Ub – Ua)
ΔUba = - ΔUab = - 50 J
Qba = - 50 J + (- 20 J) = - 70 J (liberated/released)

Problem Exercise No.3 –PHYSENG-AHI

c. If Ua = 0 and Ud = 40.00 J, find the heat absorb in the processes ad and db.

ΔUad = Ud – Ua = 40 J

Wadb = Wad + Wdb = 10 J (isochoric)

Qad = ΔUad + Wad = 40 J + 10 J = 50 J

ΔUdb = Qdb – Wdb (isochoric)

ΔUdb =Ub – Ud, since ΔUab = Ub – Ua = 50 J

ΔUdb = 50 J – 40 J = 10 J

ΔUdb = Qdb = 10 J

Answers:

a. Qadb = 60.00 J
b. Qba = - 70.00 J ; heat is liberated/released
c. Qad = 50.00 J and Qdb = 10.00 J

2. A 2.00 x 10-3 m3 of Oxygen gas (O2) has an initial temperature and pressure of 200 K at 1 atm (101,300 Pa).
The gas undergoes four processes:

AB: Heated at constant V to 400 K.

BC: Heated at constant P to 800 K.
CD: Cooled at constant V back to 1 atm (101,300 Pa)
DA: Cooled at constant P back to 200 K

Problem Exercise No.3 –PHYSENG-AHI

a. How many moles of O2 are present?

Consider point A: PV = nRT

3
PV ( 101,300 Pa ) ( 0.002 m )
n= = =0.1219mol
RT ( 8.31 J /mol K ) ( 200 K )

b. What is the pressure (in Pascals) at point B?

P A PB (101,300 Pa ) ( 400 K )
= PB = =202 ,600 Pa
TA TB 200 K

c. Find Q, U and W for process AB.

WAB = 0 J (isochoric)
Q AB=∆ U AB=n C v ∆ T =( 0.1219 mol ) ( 20.85 J /mol K ) ( 400 K−200 K )=508.323 J =Q AB=∆ U AB

d. What is the volume at point C (&D)?

VB VC ( 0.002 m3 ) ( 800 K )
= V C= =0.004 m3
TB TC 400 K

e. Find Q, ∆U and W for process BC.

W BC =P ∆ V =( 202 , 600 Pa ) ( 0.004 m3 −0.002m 3 ) =405.2 J

QBC =n C p ∆ T =( 0.1219 mol )( 29.16 J / mol K ) ( 800 K−400 K )=1,421.8416 J
∆ U =Q BC −W BC =1,421.8416 J −405.2 J =1016.6416 J

f. What is the temperature at point D?

PC PD (101,300 Pa ) ( 800 K )
= T D= =400 K
TC T D 202 ,600 Pa

g. Find Q, ∆U and W for process CD.

W CD =0 J (Isochoric)
QCD =n C V ∆ T =( 0.1219 mol ) ( 20.85 J / mol K ) ( 400 K−800 K ) =−1,016.646 J =QCD =∆U CD

h. Find Q, ∆U and W for process DA.

W DA =P ∆V =( 101,600 Pa ) ( 0.002 m 3−0.004 m 3 ) =−203.2 J
Q DA=n C p ∆ T =( 0.1219 mol ) ( 29.16 J /mol K ) ( 200 K −400 K ) =−710.9208 J
∆ U DA =Q DA −W DA =−710.9208 J −(−203.2 ) J =−507.7208 J

i. Summarize the four processes by completing the table

Process Q W ΔU
AB 508.323 J 0J 508.323 J

Problem Exercise No.3 –PHYSENG-AHI

 BC 1,421.8416 J 405.2 J 1,016.6416 J

CD −1,016.646 J 0J −1,016.646 J

DA −710.9208 J −203.2 J −507.7208 J

Total 202.5978 J 202 J 0.5978 J ~ 0 J

Answers:

a. n = 0.1219 mol
b. PB = 202, 600 Pa
c. W = 0 J; Q = ∆U = 508.323 J
d. VC = 4.00 x 10-3 m3
e. ∆U =1,016.646 J ; W = 405.2 J ; Q = 1,421.846 J
f. TD = 400 K
g. W = 0 J ; Q = ∆U = - 1,016.646 J
h. ∆U = - 508.323 J ; W = - 202.6 J ; Q = - 710.923 J

Problem Exercise No.3 –PHYSENG-AHI