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THERMODYNAMICS I (ME - 130) – ASSIGNMENT # 1

Marks: (%)

Issue date: February 01, 2024 Due date: February 21, 2024

Name: _________________________

NUST Registration No.: _________________________

Note:
a) Answers are to be given on space provided below each question. If more space is required use back
of question paper or an additional sheet. In this case clearly mark the question number for which
answer is given.

b) All answers must be backed with reasons and/or calculations as required. No marks will be
awarded for correct answer without reason or completely incorrect reason.

c) None of the problem is related to CLO-PLO.

1. A material unit of force is to be set up. The unit of force, the cant ‘c’, is specified (10)
as that force which, when acting at the end of a standard cantilever beam will
cause the end of beam to deflect 0.100 cm.

It is found that 1 c when acting on 1 kg causes it to accelerate at 100 m/s2.

Evaluate ‘gc’ for the c, kg, m, s, set of units. Determine the relation between the
N and the c. Compare the numerical values of the mass and the weight-force in
the c, kg, m, s unit system at a place where the local gravitational acceleration is
9.81 m/s2. [Reading Assignment for solution of this problem: Article 1-2,
Thermodynamics, An Engineering Approach 9th edition by Cengel and Boles.
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2. A large fraction of the thermal energy generated in the engine of a car is rejected (10)
to the air by the radiator through the circulating water. Should the radiator be
analyzed as a closed system or as an open system? Explain.

3. A 150-lbm astronaut took his bathroom scale (a spring scale) and a beam scale (10)
(compares masses) to the moon where the local gravity is g = 5.48 ft/s2.
Determine how much he will weigh (a) on the spring scale and (b) on the beam
scale.

4. A gas is contained in a vertical, frictionless piston–cylinder device. The piston (10)

has a mass of 3.2 kg and a cross sectional area of 35 cm2. A compressed spring
above the piston exerts a force of 150 N on the piston. If the atmospheric pressure
is 95 kPa, determine the pressure inside the cylinder.
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5. Consider the system shown in the figure. If a change of 0.7 kPa in the pressure (10)
of air causes the brine–mercury interface in the right column to drop by 5 mm
in the brine level in the right column while the pressure in the brine pipe
remains constant, determine the ratio of A2 /A1.

6. Joe Smith, an old-fashioned engineering student, believes that the boiling point (10)
of water is best suited for use as the reference point on temperature scales.
Unhappy that boiling point corresponds to odd number in the current absolute
temperature scales, he proposed a new temperature scale, that he calls Smith
scale. The temperature unit on this scale is smith denoted by S, and boiling point
of water on this scale is assigned to be 1000 S. From thermodynamic point of
view, discuss if it is acceptable temperature scale. Also determine the ice point
of water on Smith scale and obtain relationship between Smith and Celsius scale.
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7. A constant-volume gas thermometer containing helium gives readings of gas (10)

pressure of 1000 and 1366 mm of mercury at the ice-point and the steam-point
respectively. Express the gas-thermometer Celsius temperature in terms of the
gas pressure. Determine the atmospheric temperature if the thermometer, when
left standing in the atmosphere, registers 1075 mm.

8. Ammonia vapor is compressed inside a cylinder by external force acting on the (10)
piston. The ammonia is initially at 30oC, 500 kPa, and the final pressure is 1400
kPa. The following data has been measured experimentally for this process:

Pressure kPa 500, 653, 802, 945, 1100, 1248, 1400

Volume liters 1.25, 1.08, 0.96, 0.84, 0.72, 0.6, 0.5

Sketch the process on pressure-volume diagram and evaluate the work for the
process, considering ammonia as a system. Also, evaluate the work numerically.
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9. The working of a manually operated bicycle pump may be described as follows: (10)

I. Initially, the piston is at the bottom-most position and both intake and
delivery valves are closed. There is no air in the cylinder at this time.
II. The intake valve is opened as the piston is drawn upward. Atmospheric
air is drawn into the cylinder through this valve. The pressure on the
piston face is 14.7 psi throughout this induction process.
III. When the piston reaches its top-most position, the intake valve is closed.
The cylinder volume is now 20 in3.
IV. The piston is depressed back into the cylinder. With both valves closed,
this downward motion of the piston compresses the air in the cylinder
according to reversible process PV1.2=Constant.
V. When the pressure of air in the cylinder reaches 44 psi, the discharge
valve opens. The piston continues its downward stroke as the compressed
air is discharged through the valve into the bicycle tire. The pressure in
the cylinder may be taken constant during the discharge.
VI. When the piston reaches the bottom most position, all the air has been
exhausted and the discharge valve closes. The sequence of events is
repeated until sufficient quantity of air has been pumped into the bicycle
tire.

a) Sketch the process in the cylinder on a P-V diagram.

b) Calculate the work done by the air at the piston face during the constant
pressure intake, the compression process, and the constant pressure
discharge. Assume air to be an ideal gas.
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c) What is the net work done by the air at the piston face/cycle?

d) If the person operating the pump uses 50 strokes/min, how much horsepower
is person expending?

10 A hot water heater consists of an electrical resistive heating element and a tank (10)
with insulated walls. On a day when the ambient temperature is 50oF, the water
is maintained at 140oF when a direct current of 5 amperes flows through the
heating element and a voltage drop of 20volts occurs across the terminals. The
outer surface of the heating elements is at 200oF and the outside surface
temperature of the insulation on the tank is 60oF.

a. With the heating element as the system

1. Determine the amount of work done in a 1-hour period in kilowatt-
hours and in British Thermal Units
2. Is this reversible or irreversible process?
3. Is there any heat transferred in this 1-hour period.

b. With the water in the tank as the system (exclude the heating element and
tank walls)
1. Is there any heat transferred to or from this system?
2. Is there any work done?