2

Q3) I have a quick question about question 2 on the coursework. Is the particle density given
(1.5g/cm3) the density of the particles that have settled on the bottom, seeing as you've
already given the concentration of the particles earlier in the question. I'm just a bit confused
at the difference between the two.
A3) the particle density is the actual density of the particle material (kg/m3). The
concentration is the mass density of the particle cloud, i.e. the mass of particles in terms of
the volume of the box (not the particle).
Could you clarify what Q)2a is asking? How long does it take for one particle to settle, or how
many particles settle in a second. Or how long it takes for all the particles to settle? YOU ARE
BEING ASKED TO *CHARACTERISE* THE SYSTEM, IN OTHER WORDS WHAT IS THE
TYPICAL TIMESCALE OVER WHICH THE PROCESS HAPPENS.
Q5) I am slightly confused with question 2 parts b and c. For part b, does show the particle
distribution mean find the particle concentration or describe how the particles are spread
throughout the box? And for both parts, once the particles have settled on the box floor do
they no longer contribute to the particle concentration in the box?
A5) First part - yes both. Second part - correct, the particle concentration is the concentration
of the particles NOT on the floor.
Q6) In part (c) of question 2, if the gas was stirred such that the particles remained on the
floor, would the density not remain constant? (ie no particles in the air, all particles "invisible"
on the floor?)
A6) Particles can still impinge on the floor, while the gas is being stirred so no.
I have been puzzling over this for over an hour now, and I can see two different ways to
interpret this (q2c) 1) The stirring is not enough to re-suspend particles off the floor, but
elsewhere in the box they can move horizontally and vertically 2) The stirring is not enough to
re-suspend particles off the floor [or at all vertically, ie not enough energy to move particles
against gravity], therefore they are only moving horizontally when stirred. Both make some
sort of sense so I'm not sure which to go with. FORGET ABOUT THE PARTICLES ON THE
FLOOR. SEE THE ANSWER BELOW ABOUT STIRRING.
In Q2 part c it is said that the gas is "stirred", does the stirring occur about 1 axis in the box or
about 2 axis in the box? IMAGINE YOUR ARE STIRRING MILK INTO TEA...
Q4) There seems to be a bit of confusion among the ranks regarding the last part of question
2 of the coursework. Could you please clarify whether the separating out of the particles is
removing them from the air or to spread them out with respect to each particle, so to
maximise the separation between individual particles?
A4) If you think about this, the answer is "BOTH", and separating the particles is removing
them from the air (since they are on the floor and from the point of view of the question,
vanish). If more particles are removed, and the box is well mixed then it is a natural
consequence that each particle will be, on average, further away from it's neighbours.
3
About the "trick question" in Q3 (c), since it mentions it is tricky, so does it mean we need to
explain the reasons(says, boundary layer, pressure drag, etc) for it or analyse each stage of
the relation between the Cd and Re or can I just answer bigger at low Re?(Just my answer) IT
DOES NOT MENTION IT IS TRICKY, AND NO I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU HOW TO
ANSWER THEM QUESTION. THIS IS YOUR JOB.
Besides, is it correct if I say the drag is bigger when the drag coefficient increases? (Because
both drag and Re are proportional to velocity but the Cd decreases as Re increases. Which
confuse me somehow.). THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION. *WORK* *IT*
*OUT* !

Lastly, is the whole Q3(a) is not assessed or just the latter part? THE SKETCHS ARE NOT
ASSESSED.

4
Q7 I have a question regarding question 4. When it says 10KJ of work is done on the air
does that mean this work is done on the air in the piston cylinder or the air in the thermal
reservoir or the whole thing (both)?
A7) One only exchanges heat with thermal reservoirs.
in Q4. i) Is the equation dU= m x Cv x dT always true (no matter how the gas changes its
state)? THIS HAS BEEN COVERED EXTENSIVELY IN THE LECTURES. ii) What is the
claim in our problem? If the process is spontaneous or not? THE KEY WORD IS
"ASSERTED"; PERSONALLY I THINK THIS IS CLEAR.
I am writing to kindly ask for a little additional clarification regarding question 4 from
Coursework II. A certain quantity of work is done on a mass of air, that reaches a state of
higher pressure and temperature. My question is: is this change of state purely a
consequence of the mechanical work done on the air or can it also be affected by some heat
transfer that already occurred towards the cooler (at this point) 300K external source?
AGAIN, COVERED EXTENSIVELY IN THE LECTURES.
Another way to present my query would be: is the description of state 2 made of data
collected immediately after the application on the air of 10kJ of work or does it refer to a
stabilised condition photographed after a certain period of time? THIS QUESTION IS
BEYOND MY ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND.
I'm a little confused about question 4, can we assume it's a constant volume process?
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT "WORK" IS.
And for part c I'm unsure about what the claim is that we have to say is true or false. Is it
temperature and pressure change? SEE MY REPLY ABOVE.
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IN Q5. i) If the entropy can only increase, when is the variation ( ds ) negative? YOU ARE
NOT ASKING ME TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION. ii) What is the difference between the
entropy change of the mixture and the overall entropy change? YOU ARE NOT ASKING ME
TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION.