THERMODYNAMICS – PRACTICE PROBLEMS

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1. A fluid moves in a steady-flow manner 1 C change
between two sections in the same flow Δt=( 18 F ) =10 C
line. At section (1): A1 = 0.10 m2, V1 = 6
1.8 F change
m/s, v1 = 0.33 m3/kg. At section (2): A2 = 4. An ideal gas is contained in a vessel of
0.20 m2, 2 = 0.27 kg/m3. Calculate for unknown volume at a pressure of 1
the velocity of flow at section (2). atmosphere. The gas is released and
a. 33.67 allowed to expand into a previously
b. 37.63 evacuated bulb whose volume is 0.500
c. 41.59 liter. Once equilibrium has been
d. 45.55 reached, the temperature remains the
Solution: same while the pressure is recorded as
ρ1 A1 V 1=ρ 2 A 2 V 2 500 millimeters of mercury. What is the
A1 V 1 unknown volume, V, of the first bulb?
=ρ 2 A 2 V 2 a. 1.069 liter
ν1 b. 0.853 liter
( 0 .10 )( 6 ) c. 0.961 liter
= ( 0. 27 )( 0 . 20 ) ( V 2 )
0 .33 d. 1.077 liter
V 2 =33 .67 m/s Solution: 1 atm = 760 mm Hg
p1 V 1 = p2 V 2
2. If the initial volume of an ideal gas is ( 760 ) V 1 =( 500 ) ( V 1 +0 . 50 L )
compressed to one-half of its original V 1 =0 . 961 L
volume and to twice its original 5. A non-flow system contains 1 lb of an
temperature, the pressure: ideal gas (cp = 0.24, cv = 0.17, both in
a. Doubles Btu/lb-R). The gas temperature is
b. Quadruples increased by 10 F while 5 Btu of work
c. Remains constant are done by the gas. What is the heat
d. Halves transfer in Btu?
Solution: a. -3.3
p2 V 2 p1 V 1
= b. -2.6
T2 T1 c. +6.7

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1
p2 V 1
2 pV
= 1 1
d. +7.4
Solution:
2 T1 T1 Q= ΔU +W
p2 =4 p 1 ΔU =mc v ( ΔT )=( 1 ) ( 0. 17 )( 10 ) =1. 7 Btu
Quadruples W =5 Btu
3. A water temperature rise of 18 F in the Q=1.7+5=6.7 Btu
water cooled condenser is equivalent in
deg C to (ME Board October 1994).
a. 7.78 C 6. If a particle has a velocity of 10 meters
b. 10 C per second and a kinetic energy of 1000
c. 263.56 K joules, then the mass, in kilograms of
d. -9.44 C this particle must be;
Solution: a. 100
b. 20

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 c. 80 R̄ 8314.3 J /kmol−K
d. 10 R= = =189 J /kg−K
M 44 kg/kmol
Solution:
1
T =21+273=294 K
KE= mv 2 mRT ( 6 .5 )( 189 )( 294 )
2 p= = =401 , 300 Pa=401 .3 kPa
V 0.9
1
1000= m ( 10 )2
2 10. One kg of hydrogen are cooled from
m=20 kg 450 C to 320 C in a constant volume
process. The specific heat at constant
7. How much energy is required to just volume, cv, is 10.2 kJ/kg-K. How much
vaporize a kg of water which is heat is removed?
originally at 27 C and one atmosphere? a. 1136 kJ
a. 2562.65 kJ b. 1326 kJ
b. 3562.65 kJ c. 1623 kJ
c. 4562.65 kJ d. 2136 kJ
d. 5562.65 kJ Solution:
Solution: Q=mcv ( T 2 −T 1 )
Q s=mc p ( T 2 −T 1 )= (1 . 0 ) ( 4 . 187 ) ( 100−27 )=305 . 65 kJ
Q= (1 . 0 ) ( 10.2 ) ( 450−320 )=1326 kJ
Q fg=mh fg =( 1. 0 ) ( 2257 ) =2257 kJ 11. Five kmols of air initially at one
Qt =Q s +Q fg=305. 65+2257=2562 .65 kJ (a) atmosphere and 299 K are compressed
isothermally to 8 atmospheres. How
8. What mass of nitrogen is contained in a
much total heat is removed during the
65 m3 tank if the pressure and
compression?
temperature are one atmosphere and
a. 25,846.3 kJ
21 C respectively?
b. 28,922.9 kJ
a. 75.4 kg
c. 39,345.6 kJ
b. 57.4 kg
d. 44,680.9 kJ
c. 54.7 kg
Solution:
d. 45.7 kg

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Solution: p
Q=nRT ln 1
T =21+273=294 K p2

Q= (5 kmol ) ( 8.314 ) ( 299 K ) ln (

8 atm )
R=297 J /kg−K kJ 1 atm
pV 101 ,325 ( 1 ) kmol−K
m= = =75. 4 kg
RT 297 ( 294 ) (a) Q=−25,846.27 kJ (a)
9. A 0.90 m3 tank contains 6.5 kg of an 12. What is the atmospheric pressure on a
ideal gas. The gas has a molecular planet where the absolute pressure is
weight of 44 and is at 21 C. What is the 101 kPa and the gage is 9 kPa?
pressure of the gas? a. 110 kPa
a. 201.3 kPa b. 92 kPa
b. 301.3 kPa c. 105 kPa
c. 401.3 kPa d. 88 kPa
d. 501.3 kPa Solution:
Solution: P(abs) = P(g) + P(atm)
101 = 9 + P(atm)

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P(atm_ = 101 – 9 = 92 kPa (b) a. 337.54
b. 127.54
13. A company specialized in the shipment c. 227.54
of pressurized gaseous materials. An d. 427.54
order is received for 500 liters of a Solution:
particular gas at (32 F and 1 atm). What Patm =750 mmHg=100 kPa
minimum volume of tank is necessary p1 p2
to transport the gas at 90 F and a =
T1 T2
maximum pressure of 10 atm?
200+100 p2
a. 141 liters =
b. 60 liters 32+273 60+273
c. 152 liters p2 =327 .54 kPa abs=227 . 54 kPag (c)
d. 56 liters
Solution: 16. The mass flow rate of Freon 12 through
p1 V 1 p2 V 2 a heat exchanger is 10 lbs/min.
=
T1 T2 Enthalpy of Freon entry is 102 Btu/lb
and of Freon exit is 26 Btu/lb. Water
( 1 )( 500 ) ( 10 ) ( V 2 )
= coolant is allowed to rise 10 F. The
32+460 90+ 460
water flow rate in liters per minute is:
V 2 =55 . 90 L (d)
a. 76
b. 83
14. Air is compressed in a diesel engine c. 34.5
from an initial pressure of 13 psia and a d. 54.3
temperature of 120 F to one-twelfth of Solution:
its initial volume. Calculate the final m ( h2 −h3 )=mw c pw Δt w
temperature assuming the compression
10 ( 102−26 )=mw (1 . 0 ) ( 10 )
to be adiabatic.
a. 1110 F mw =76 lb/min
b. 980 F m 76 lb/min
c. 987 F Q= w = =34 . 5 kg/min=34 . 5 L/min
ρ 2 .2 lb/kg
d. 1560 F
Solution: 17. The maximum thermal efficiency that

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k−1
T2 V 1 can be obtained in an ideal reversible
= heat engine operating between 1540
T1 V 2
deg F and 340 deg F is closest to:

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1. 4−1
t 2 +460 V1 a. 100%
= b. 78%
120+460 1
V c. 60%
12 1 d. 40%
t 2=1107 .11 F Solution:
T −T 1540−340
e= h l = =0 .60=60 %
15. A closed vessel contains air at a Th 1540+ 460
pressure of 200 kN/m2 gauge and a
temperature of 32 C. The air is heated 18. Second law limitations on the maximum
to 60 C with the atmospheric pressure horsepower output from any power
of 750 mm Hg. What is the final gauge unit burning 1,000,000 Btu/hr of fuel
pressure?

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 with high and low temperature T h −T l
( 2000+150 )−( 70+100 )
extremes of 1540 deg F and 40 deg F is: e 2= = =0. 758=75. 8 %
Th ( 2000+150 ) + 460
a. 98 Therefore, the efficiency decreases.
b. 1140
c. 295 - End -
d. 3830
Solution:
Q A =1 ,000 , 000 Btu/hr
In hp
1,000,000 Btu/hr
QA= =392.93 hp
2545 Btu/hp−hr
W T h −T l
e= =
QA Th
W 1540−40
=
392 .93 1540+460
W =294 . 7 hp

19. A high velocity flow of gas at 800 ft/sec

possesses kinetic energy nearest to
which of the following?
a. 1.03 Btu/lb
b. 9.95 Btu/lb
c. 4.10 Btu/lb
d. 12.8 Btu/lb
Solution:
KE=
W 2 1 1
2g
V = ( )
2 32 . 2
( 800 )2 =9937 . 88 ft−lb
9937.88 ft−lb/lb
KE= =12.77 Btu/lb
778.16 ft −lb/Btu (d)
20. A Carnot engine operating between 70
deg F and 2000 deg F is modified solely
by raising the higher temperature by
150 deg F and raising the low
temperature by 100 deg F. Which of the
following statements is true?
a. Thermodynamic efficiency
decreased.
b. Thermodynamic efficiency
increased.
c. Less heat rejected in the system.
d. Less heat added in the system.
Solution:
T −T 2000−70
e 1= h l = =0 . 784=78. 4 %
Th 2000+460