Question

3 kg of a monatomic ideal gas (mass number 278), is slowly changed from pressure 36.4 atm and volume 973 liters to pressure 49.6 atm and volume 606 liters. The P-V diagram for this process is a straight line. Find the total work done by the system, in KJ.  A positive answer means work is done by the system; a negative answer means work is done on the system.

Answer 1

(1) pressure volume diagram of the problem is shown as;

conversion factors:

1 atm = 101325 pa;

1 L = 0.001 m^3;

.................................................................

pressure and volume at state (1);

pressure and volume at state (2);

Workdone for the process (1-2) = Area under the PV diagram;

Negative sign shows work is done on the system.