Physics 103

CO1 Problem Set (Thermodynamics)

Instructions: Write your logical solutions on a short bond paper. Box all final answers. Problems are
marked as easy (5 points), medium (10 points), and hard (20 points). Total: 100 points.

1. (easy) A sample of gas expands from an initial pressure and volume of 17 Pa and 1.3 m3 to a final
volume of 2.2 m3. During the expansion, the pressure and volume are related by the equation p =
aV2, where a = 10 N/m8. Determine the work done by the gas during this expansion.

2. (medium) These two Carnot engines uses the same cold reservoir at a temperature of 275 K as
their exhaust heat. They both receive an input heat of 1450J. The work from these engines drives
a pulley from rest to accelerate a 125-kg box along a frictionless surface. Engine 1 the crate attains
a speed of 2m/s and engine 2 attains a speed of 3m/s.

(a) Which engine produces more work (change in kinetic energy)?

(b) Which engine has the higher temperature for the hot reservoir?
(c) What are the temperatures of the hot reservoirs from engine 1 and engine 2?

3. (medium) The work done by one mole of a monatomic ideal gas in expanding adiabatically is 825
J. The initial temperature and volume of the gas are 393 K and 0.100 m3. Obtain (a) the final
temperature and (b) the final volume of the gas.
4. (easy) Engine 1 has an efficiency of 0.18 and requires 5500 J of input heat to perform a certain
amount of work. Engine 2 has an efficiency of 0.26 and performs the same amount of work. How
much input heat does the second engine require?

5. (hard) An engine has an efficiency e1. The engine takes input heat of magnitude |QH| from a hot
reservoir and delivers work of magnitude |W1|. The heat rejected by this engine is used as input
heat for a second engine, which has an efficiency e2 and delivers work of magnitude |W2|. The
overall efficiency of this two-engine device is the magnitude of the total work delivered (|W1| +
|W2|) divided by the magnitude |QH| of the input heat. Find an expression for the overall
efficiency e in terms of e1 and e2.

6. (hard) Beginning with a pressure of 2.20 x 105 Pa and a volume of 6.34 x 10-3 m3, an ideal
monatomic gas undergoes an adiabatic expansion such that its final pressure is 8.15 x 104 Pa. An
alternative process leading to the same final state begins with an isochoric cooling to the final
pressure, followed by an isobaric expansion to the final volume. How much more work does the
gas do in the adiabatic process than in the alternative process?

7. (easy) A gas, while expanding under isobaric conditions, does 480 J of work. The pressure of the
gas is 1.6 x 105 Pa, and its initial volume is 1.5 x 10-3 m3. What is the final volume of the gas?

8. (easy) Even at rest, the human body generates heat. The heat arises because of the body’s
metabolism—that is, the chemical reactions that are always occurring in the body to generate
energy. Adequate ventilation or air conditioning must be provided to remove this heat. Consider
a classroom containing 14 students taking an exam in physics. Assume that the metabolic rate of
generating heat is 200 W for each student and that the heat accumulates during a 90-min period.
In addition, assume that the air has a molar specific heat of Cv = (5/2) R and that the room (volume
= 1200 m3, initial pressure = 1.01 x 105 Pa, and initial temperature 21oC) is sealed shut (clue:
isochoric). If all the heat generated by the students were absorbed by the air, by how much would
the air temperature rise during the exam?

9. (medium) Consider three engines that each use 1650 J of heat from a hot reservoir (temperature
= 550 K). These three engines reject heat to a cold reservoir (temperature = 330 K). Engine I rejects
1120 J of heat. Engine II rejects 990 J of heat. Engine III rejects 660 J of heat. One of the engines
operates reversibly, and two operate irreversibly. However, of the two irreversible engines, one
violates the second law of thermodynamics and could not exist. For each of the engines determine
the total entropy change of the universe, which is the sum of the entropy changes of the hot and
cold reservoirs. On the basis of your calculations, identify which engine operates reversibly, which
operates irreversibly and could exist, and which operates irreversibly and could not exist.

10. (medium) Heat Q flows spontaneously from a reservoir at 394 K into a reservoir at 298 K. Because
of the spontaneous flow, 2800 J of energy is rendered unavailable for work when a Carnot engine
operates between the reservoir at 298 K and a reservoir at 248 K. Find Q.

Submission: Feb 27, 2020