Homework 1

João Felipe Chaves e Silva

Aug 2021
Internal Energy of an Ideal
Gas

Use the following laws of thermodynamics and ideal gas law

 #" "  #
∂ ∂S ∂ ∂S
T dS = dU + P dV , P V = nRT , =
∂V ∂T V ∂V ∂T V
T T
   
∂U ∂U
dU = dT + dV
∂T V ∂V T

To prove that

 
∂U
=0
∂V T

And thus, the internal energy U of an ideal gas is independant from the volume
V.

Solution
First, let’s write:

     
∂U ∂U ∂U ∂S
= +
∂V T ∂V S ∂S V ∂V T

Considering now a potential of the type A = U − T S, we get:

1
 dA = dU − T dS − SdT
dA =   − P dV − 
T dS
  − SdT
T dS

dA = −SdT − P dV
and then
   
∂S ∂P
=
∂V T ∂T V
so:

   
∂U ∂S
= −P + T
∂V T ∂V T
   
∂U ∂P
= −P + T
∂V T ∂T V

and finally, using the ideal gas equation we get:

nrT
P =
  V
∂P nR
=
∂T V V
and using this
 
∂U nrT nrT
=− + =0
∂V T V V

as we wanted to show!

2
Carnot Engine Using
Photon Gas as Operating
Medium

(1) A photon gas satisfies the internal energy U ∝ αV T 4 where α is some

  Z    
∂S 1 ∂U ∂A
= , S= , P =
∂U V T ∂T V ∂V T

to show that the entropy, Helmholtz free energy, and pressure of the photon
gas are:

4 1 1 4
S= αV T 3 , A = U − T S = − αV T 4 , P = αT
3 3 3
(2) ) Suppose we use the above photon gas as the operating medium of
a Carnot engine. Show that in the four processes of the Carnot cycle, the
corresponding work, heat transfer, and the ratio of the volumes are:
a → b isothermal expansion, T = T1 = constant

1 4 4 4
Wab = αT (Vb − Va ), Q1 = αT (Vb − Va )
3 1 3 1
b → c adiabatic expansion, dQ = 0

 3
T1 Vc
Wbc = −αVc T24 + αVb T14 , =
T2 Vb
c → d isothermal compression, T = T2 = constant

1 4
Wab = αT (Vd − Vc )
3 2

3
 d → a adiabatic compression, dQ = 0

 3
T1 Va
Wbc = −αVd T14 + αVa T24 , =
T2 Vd

(3) From the above results, show that:

   
T2 1 4 T2
Wbc + Wda = αT14 (Vb − Va ) 1 − , Wab + Wcd = αT1 (Vb − Va ) 1 −
T1 3 T1
and hence, the total work and the efficiency of the engine is:

 
4 4 T2 W T2
W = Wab + Wbc + Wcd + Wda = αT1 (Vb − Va ) 1 − , η= =1−
3 T1 Q1 T1

Solution
(1)First, let’s the entropy, with U = αV T 4 and dU = 4αV T 3 :

Z   Z Z
dU 1 4
S= = 4αV T 3 dT = 4αV T 2 dT = αV T 3
T V T 3

then, we use this result:

3 4 1
A = U − TS = αV T 4 − αV T 3 = αV T 4
3 3 3
and we use this, to get:

 
∂A 1 4
P = = αT
∂V T 3

(2) We have that work is:

Z 2
W = P (T1 )dV
1

so, from a → b, we get:

Z Vb Z Vb Vb
1 4 1 1 4
Wab = P (T1 )dV = αT1 dV = αT14 = αT (Vb − Va )
Va Va 3 3 Va 3 1

We have that the heat transfered is:

4
 1
Q = U + W = αT14 (Vb − Va ) + αT14 (Vb − Va )
3
4 4
Q = αT1 (Vb − Va )
3
from b → c, we get:

   
Wbc = −∆U = − αVc T24 + αVb T14

and

 3
3 Vc T1
P T = constant → =
Vb T2

from c → d, we get:

Z Vb
1 4
Wcd = P (T2 )dV = αT (Vd − Vc )
Vc 3 2

from d → a, we get:

   
Wda = −∆U = − αVa T14 + αVd T24

and

 3
3 Va T1
P T = constant → =
Vd T2

(3) Using what we found before, let’s calculate:

       
Wbc + Wda = − αVc T24 + αVb T14 − αVa T14 + αVd T24
" #
4 4 4 (Vd − Vc ) T24
= αT1 (Vb − Va ) + αT2 (Vd − Vc ) = αT1 (Vb − Va ) 1 + =
(Vb − Va ) T14
 
3 4
 
T T T2
= αT14 (Vb − Va ) 1 − 13 2  = αT14 (Vb − Va ) 1 −
T2 T 4 T1
1

We can arrive similary to Wab + Wcd !

5
  
1 4 T2
Wab + Wcd = αT1 (Vb − Va ) 1 −
3 T1

Then, the total work will be:

 
4 4 T2
WT = Wab + Wbc + W cd + Wda = αT1 (Vb − Va ) 1 −
3 T1

And the efficiency will be:

W T2
η= =1−
Q T1