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Problems303 4 Sol

1. This document contains the solutions to 5 physics problems involving thermodynamics concepts like Carnot engines and refrigerators, ideal gases, and entropy calculations. 2. For the first problem, the solutions express the heat absorbed and temperatures at each stage of series of Carnot refrigerators. 3. The second problem calculates the entropy increase of 1 kg of methane undergoing an isothermal expansion as part of a Carnot engine cycle. 4. The fifth and final problem calculates the entropy changes for an ideal gas undergoing isothermal and free expansions between volumes.

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62 views2 pages

Problems303 4 Sol

1. This document contains the solutions to 5 physics problems involving thermodynamics concepts like Carnot engines and refrigerators, ideal gases, and entropy calculations. 2. For the first problem, the solutions express the heat absorbed and temperatures at each stage of series of Carnot refrigerators. 3. The second problem calculates the entropy increase of 1 kg of methane undergoing an isothermal expansion as part of a Carnot engine cycle. 4. The fifth and final problem calculates the entropy changes for an ideal gas undergoing isothermal and free expansions between volumes.

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liamfuentez
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Prof.

Anchordoqui

Problems set # 4 Physics 303 September 30, 2014

1. N identical, ideal Carnot refrigerators are in series. In each cycle, the n-th refrigerator
absorbs heat Qn at temperature Tn , and emits heat Qn+1 at temperature Tn+1 . The emitted
heat Qn+1 is then absorbed by the (n + 1)-th refrigerator, and so on. Each refrigerator requires
3 J of work to run, per cycle. You are given that Q1 = 1 J, and T1 = 1 K. Express the answers
below in the appropriate units (J or K). (i) What is Qn , for all n ≥ 1? (ii) What is Tn , for all n ≥ 1?

Solution: (i) For each cycle, |Wn | = |Qn+1 | − |Qn | and so |Qn+1 | = |Wn | + |Qn | = n|W | +
|Q1 | = 3n J + 1 J = (3n + 1) J. Therefore |Qn | = (3n − 2) J. (ii) For the n-th cycle
Tn+1 −Tn
Tn = |W n| 3 J Tn+1 3 Tn+1 3n+1
|Qn | = 3(n−1) J+1 J which implies Tn − 1 = 3n−2 and so Tn = 3n−2 . This leads to
Qn h i
3n+1 3i+1
Tn+1 = 3n−2 Tn = i=1 3i−2 T1 = (3n + 1)T1 = (3n + 1) K, yielding Tn = (3n − 2) K.

2. A Carnot engine operates on 1 kg of methane (CH4 ), which we will consider to be an ideal


gas. Take γ = 1.35. The ratio of the maximum volume to the minimum volume is 4 and the cycle
efficiency is 25%. Find the entropy increase of the methane during the isothermal expansion.

Solution: For reversible processes, T ds = du + P dv. For the isothermal expansion, dU = 0


and therefore T ds = P dv. For the ideal gas, ds = P dv/T = nRdv/v and so ∆s = nR ln(vb /va ).
What is vb /va ? During the adiabatic expansion, b → c, you can write Tb vbγ−1 = Tc vcγ−1 and so
 1/(γ−1)  1/(γ−1)
vb
vc = TTcb = TT21 . The relationship between T1 and T2 can be found from the ef-
ficiency of the engine η = 1 − T1 /T2 = 25%, hence  T1 /T2 = 3/4. Putting everything together,

   1/(γ−1)  1/(1.35−1)
vb vc T1 vc 3
you get ∆s = nR ln(vb /va ) = nR ln vc va = nR ln T2 va = nR ln 4 ×4 =
293 J/K.

3. The low temperature specific heat of a diamond varies with temperature according to
3
T

cv = 1.88 × 106 J kilomole−1 K−1 ,
θ
where θ = 2230 K. What is the entropy change of 1 kg of diamond when it is heated at constant
volume from 4 K to 300 K.

Solution: Start with the main thermodynamic identity: dU = T dS − P dV . For a diamond in


the air, P and V are almost constant at room temperature under 1 atm, thus ds ' du/T . This
R 300 K  3
dT 1 R 300 K T dT −1 = 127 J K−1 .
leads to ∆S ' n 4 K cv T = 12 4 K 1.88 × 106 θ T JK

4. (a) Derive an expression for the entropy of an ideal gas: (i) as a function of T and V ; (ii)
as a function of T and P . Assume that the specific heats of the gas are constants. (b) An ideal
monatomic gas undergoes a reversible expansion from specific volume v1 to specific volume v2 .
(i) Calculate the change in specific entropy ∆s if the expansion is isobaric. (ii) Calculate ∆s if the
process is isothermal. (iii) Which is larger? By how much?

Solution: (a) (i) Start with the main thermodynamic identity:


  du = Tds − P dv. It follows
that ds = T dv + T = v dv + cv T , and hence ∆s = R ln v1 + cv ln TT12 . (ii) Likewise, ds =
P du R dT v2

1 dT
T P dv +cv T . Use the equation of state, P v = RT , to obtain P dv +vdP = RdT . Substitute this ex-
pression to obtain ds = T1 (RdT −vdP )+cv dT
 
dT v dT dP
T = (R+cv ) T − T dP = cP T −R P . Integrate this ex-
T2 P2
pression to obtain ∆s = cP ln T1 −R ln P1 . (b) (i) For an ideal monoatomic gas which undergoes
isobaric expansion, it follows that ds = T1 (du+P dv) = cTv dT + PT dv = cv dT P
T +P v/R dv = cv dT +R dv
v .
        T
R dT R dv T2 v2 v2 v2 v2
Thus, ∆s1 = cv T +R v = cv ln T1 +R ln v1 = cv ln v1 +R ln v1 = cP ln v1 . (ii) For
an ideal monoatomic 
gas which undergoes isothermalexpansion,

it follows that ds = PT dv = R dv
  v
and so ∆s2 = R ln vv12 . (iii) ∆s1 − ∆s2 = cP − R ln vv12 = cv ln vv21 , which implies ∆s1 > ∆s2 .

5. A kilomole of an ideal gas undergoes a revrsible isothermal expansion from a volume of 5


liters to a volume of 10 liters at a temperature of 20◦ C. (i) What is the change in the entropy of
the gas? Of the universe? (ii) What are the corresponding changes of energy if the process is a
free expansion?

(i) A kilomole (n = 1) of an ideal gas undergoes isothermal expansion from V1 = 5 liters to V2 =


10 liters. For isothermal processes dU = 0 and hence dS = dQ/T = dW/T , yielding dS = PT dV .
R P R nR V2
This means that the entropy change in the system is ∆Sgas = T dV = V dV = nR ln V1 =
J K−1 .
R P
R ln 2 = 5.76 × 
103
On the other hand, ∆Qgas = −∆Qenv ; this entails ∆Senv = − T dV =
R nR V2
− V dV = −nR ln V1 = −R ln 2. Therefore ∆Suniverse = ∆Sgas + ∆Senv = 0. (ii) For the
same initial and final states the entropy change in the gas is the same so ∆Sgas = 5 × 103 J K−1 .
While the ideal gas undergoes free expansion, no heat enters or leaves the surroundings, so for the
environment surrounding the system, ∆Qenv = 0 and ∆Senv = 0. In this case the total change of
entropy in the universe is ∆Suniverse = ∆Sgas + ∆Senv = ∆Sgas = 5 × 103 J K−1 .

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