Assignment 1 – Energy and Thermodynamics

Deadline: 10/19 1pm

Name: Student ID: Session ID (1001 or 1002):

Note: Please take gravity acceleration 𝑔 = 9.80m/𝑠 2 and density of water 𝜌 = 1000kg/𝑚3 in
this assignment for simplicity.

1. A rigid ping-pong ball is hung by a string within a container full of water, whose center is 100
mm below the surface of water. The container is a cylinder, whose height and diameter are
both 200 mm. The diameter of the ball is 40 mm, and the weight of the ball can be neglected.
Suddenly, the string is cut, and the ball floats and stays on the surface of water. During this
process, please calculate:

1) The work done by the container to water.

2) The work done by gravity to water.

3) The work done by water to the ball.

Solution:

1) As the normal force provided by container does not produce any effective displacement, the
work done by the container to water is 0.

2) We may consider this problem as the water between the levels before and after dropping
flows into the position of the ball. ∆ℎ

𝐻 ∆ℎ H
𝑊 = −∆𝐸𝑔 = 𝜌𝑉𝑔 ( − )
2 2

4
4 𝜋(0.02𝑚)3
3 3
= 1000𝑘𝑔/𝑚 ∙ 9.8𝑁/𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝜋(0.02𝑚) ∙ (0.1𝑚 − 3 )
3 2𝜋(0.1𝑚)2

= 0.0327J

3) The work done by buoyancy when the ball is under water:

𝐻 𝐷
𝑊1 = 𝜌𝑉𝑔( − )
2 2
 Buoyancy will be reduced to zero during the process of ball going above the water. However,
the average of the buoyancy should be a half due to the symmetry of the ball. So the work
done in this process:

1
𝑊2 = 𝜌𝑉𝑔(𝐷 − ∆ℎ)
2
So
𝐻 𝐷 𝐷 ∆ℎ
𝑊 = 𝑊1 + 𝑊2 = 𝜌𝑉𝑔 ( − + − ) = 0.0327𝐽
2 2 2 2

2. A 1200-kg car is being driven up a 5.0°hill. The frictional force is directed opposite to the

motion of the car and has a magnitude of f =524 N. A force ⃗𝑭 is applied to the car by the
road and propels the car forward. In addition to these two forces, two other forces act on the

car: its weight ⃗𝑾

⃗⃗⃗ and the normal force ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑭𝑵 directed perpendicular to the road surface. The

length of the road up the hill is 290 m. What should be the magnitude of ⃗𝑭, so that the net
work done by all the forces acting on the car is +150 kJ?

Solution:

The net work done on the car is

WT = WF + Wf + Wg + WN

WT = Fs cos 0.0°+ f s cos 180°– mgs sin 5.0°+ FNs cos 90°

Rearranging this result gives

𝑊𝑇
𝐹 = + 𝑓 + 𝑚𝑔 𝑠𝑖𝑛 5.0°
𝑠

150 × 103 𝐽
= + 524 𝑁 + (1200 kg)(9.80 m/s2 ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛 5.0° = 2.07 × 103 𝑁
290 𝑚

3. A person starts from the crest at the top of a large, frictionless, spherical surface and slides
into the water below (see the drawing). At what angle θ does the person leave the surface?
Solution: Let the velocity of this person when he leaves the surface to be v. In order to have him
just loses contact with the surface, his gravity must provide all the necessary centripetal force
required by the rotation. That means:

𝑣2
𝑚𝑔 ∙ cos 𝜃 = 𝑚
𝑟
During the process, this person received no force doing work other than gravity, therefore:

1
𝑚𝑔𝑟(1 − cos 𝜃) = 𝑚𝑣 2
2
It can be simplified to have:

2
cos 𝜃 =
3
𝜃 = 48°

4. A runner accelerates uniformly during the first 2 s of a race, covering 8 m. What is the
average power generated by the runner during this time if the runner’s weight is 680 N?

Solution: The average velocity during the process is

8𝑚
𝑣̅ = = 4𝑚/𝑠
2𝑠
The velocity at the end of acceleration process should be

𝑣 = 2𝑣̅ = 8𝑚/𝑠

The mass of this runner

 𝐺 680𝑁
𝑚= = = 69.4𝑘𝑔
𝑔 9.8𝑚/𝑠 2

During the acceleration, the kinetic energy that this runner has gained

1
𝐸𝑘 = 𝑚𝑣 2 = 2220𝐽
2
The kinetic energy must be generated by the work done by the runner. So the average power can
be calculated by

𝑊 𝐸𝑘 2220𝐽
𝑃= = = = 1110𝑊
𝑡 𝑡 2𝑠

5. Two cylindrical rods are identical, except that one has a thermal conductivity k1 and the other
has a thermal conductivity k2. As the drawing shows, they are placed between two walls that
are maintained at different temperatures TW (warmer) and TC (cooler). When the rods are
arranged as in part a of the drawing, a total heat Q’ flows from the warmer to the cooler wall,
but when the rods are arranged as in part b, the total heat flow is Q. Assuming that the
conductivity k2 is twice as great as k1 and that heat flows only along the lengths of the rods,
determine the ratio Q’/Q.

Solution:

For arrangement a, we apply Equation 13.1 to each rod and obtain for the total heat that
k1 A ( TW − TC ) t k2 A ( TW − TC ) t ( k1 + k2 ) A ( TW − TC ) t
Q = Q1 + Q2 = + = (1)
L L L

For arrangement b, we use T to denote the temperature at the interface between the rods and
note that the same heat flows through each rod. Thus, using Equation 13.1 to express the heat
flowing in each rod, we have

k1 A ( TW − T ) t k2 A ( T − TC ) t
= or k1 ( TW − T ) = k2 ( T − TC )
L L
Heat flowing Heat flowing
through rod 1 through rod 2
 Solving this expression for the temperature T gives

k1TW + k2TC
T= (2)
k1 + k2

Applying Equation 13.1 to either rod in arrangement b and using Equation (2) for the interface
temperature, we can determine the heat Q that is flowing. Choosing rod 2, we find that
 k T + k2TC 
k2 A  1 W − TC  t
k A ( T − TC ) t  k1 + k2 
Q= 2 =
L L
 k T −k T 
k2 A  1 W 1 C  t
=  k1 + k2  = k2 Ak1 ( TW − TC ) t (3)
L L ( k1 + k2 )

Using Equations (1) and (3), we obtain for the desired ratio that

( k1 + k2 ) A ( TW − TC ) t
Q L ( k1 + k2 ) A ( TW − TC ) t L ( k1 + k2 ) ( k1 + k2 )2
= = =
Q k2 Ak1 ( TW − TC ) t L k2 A k1 ( TW − TC ) t k2 k1
L ( k1 + k2 )

Using the fact that k2 = 2k1 , we obtain

Q ( k1 + k2 ) ( k + 2k1 ) = 4.5
2 2
= = 1
Q k2 k1 2k1 k1

6. A ball and a thin plate are made from different materials and have the same initial
temperature. The ball does not fit through a hold in the plate, because the diameter of the ball
is slightly larger than the diameter of the hole. However, the ball will pass through the hole
when the ball and the plate are heated to a common higher temperature. In each of the
arrangements in the drawing the diameter of the ball is 1.0 × 10-5 m larger than the diameter
of the hole in the thin plate, which has a diameter of 0.10 m. The initial temperature of each
arrangement is 25.0℃. At what temperature will the ball fall through the hole in each
arrangement?
Solution: After the temperature is increased by ∆𝑇, the diameter of the ball

𝐷𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 𝐷0 + 𝛼𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝐷0 ∆𝑇

The diameter of the hole in the plate:

𝐷𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 = (𝐷0 − ∆𝐷) + 𝛼𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 (𝐷0 − ∆𝐷)∆𝑇

In order to have the ball passing through the hole, 𝐷𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 𝐷𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 . Therefore:
∆𝐷 ∆𝐷
∆𝑇 = ≈
𝛼𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 (𝐷0 − ∆𝐿) − 𝛼𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝐷0 (𝛼𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 − 𝛼𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 )𝐷0

(4 marks to have the derivation correct)

The changes of temperature to all the balls falling through the hole for three conditions are:

∆𝐷 1.0 × 10−5 m
∆𝑇𝑎 = = = 6.67℃
(𝛼𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑 − 𝛼𝐺𝑜𝑙𝑑 )𝐷0 (29 − 14) × 10−6 (℃)−1 × 0.10𝑚

∆𝐷 1.0 × 10−5 m
∆𝑇𝑏 = = = 7.69℃
(𝛼𝐴𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑚 − 𝛼𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 )𝐷0 (25 − 12) × 10−6 (℃)−1 × 0.10𝑚

∆𝐷 1.0 × 10−5 m
∆𝑇𝑐 = = = 5.38℃
(𝛼𝑆𝑖𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑟 − 𝛼𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑧 )𝐷0 (19 − 0.4) × 10−6 (℃)−1 × 0.10𝑚

The temperature to all the balls falling through the hole for three conditions are:

𝑇𝑎 = 𝑇0 + ∆𝑇𝑎 = 31.67℃

𝑇𝑏 = 𝑇0 + ∆𝑇𝑏 = 32.69℃

𝑇𝑐 = 𝑇0 + ∆𝑇𝑐 = 30.38℃

(2 marks for each arrangement)

7. A solid cylinder is radiating power. It has a length that is ten times its radius. It is cut into a
number of smaller cylinders, each of which has the same length. Each small cylinder has the
same temperature as the original cylinder. The total radiant power emitted by the pieces is
twice that emitted by the original cylinder. How many smaller cylinders are there?
Solution:

The total radiant power emitted by an object that has a Kelvin temperature T, surface area A, and
emissivity e can be found by rearranging Equation 13.2, the Stefan-Boltzmann law:

Q = e T 4 At . The emitted power is P = Q / t = e T 4 A . Therefore, when the original

cylinder is cut perpendicular to its axis into N smaller cylinders, the ratio of the power
radiated by the pieces to that radiated by the original cylinder is

Ppieces e T 4 A2
= (1)
Poriginal e T 4 A1

where A1 is the surface area of the original cylinder, and A2 is the sum of the surface

areas of all N smaller cylinders. The surface area of the original cylinder is the sum of the
surface area of the ends and the surface area of the cylinder body; therefore, if L and r
represent the length and cross-sectional radius of the original cylinder, with L = 10 r ,

A1 = (area of ends) + (area of cylinder body)

= 2( r 2 ) + (2 r ) L = 2( r 2 ) + (2 r )(10 r ) = 22 r 2

When the original cylinder is cut perpendicular to its axis into N smaller cylinders, the total
surface area A2 is

A2 = N 2( r 2 ) + (2 r ) L = N 2( r 2 ) + (2 r )(10r ) = ( 2 N + 20 )  r 2

Substituting the expressions for A1 and A2 into Equation (1), we obtain the following

expression for the ratio of the power radiated by the N pieces to that radiated by the original
cylinder

Ppieces
=
e T 4 A2
=
( 2 N + 20 )  r 2 =
N + 10
Poriginal e T A1
4
22 r 2 11
 Since the total radiant power emitted by the N pieces is twice that emitted by the original
cylinder, Ppieces / Poriginal = 2 , we have (N + 10)/11 = 2. Solving this expression for N gives

N = 12 . Therefore, there are 12 smaller cylinders .

8. A spherical balloon is made from an amount of material whose mass is 2.85 kg. The thickness
of the material is negligible compared to the 1.10-m radius of the balloon. The balloon is
filled with helium (He) at a temperature of 305 K and just floats in air, neither rising nor
falling. The density of the surrounding air is 1.19 kg/m3. Find the absolute pressure of the
helium gas.

Solution:

We need to determine the amount of He inside the balloon. We begin by using Archimedes’
principle; the balloon is being buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the air displaced. The
buoyant force, Fb, therefore, is equal to

Fb = mg =  Vg = (1.19 kg/m3 )  43  (1.10 m )  ( 9.80 m/s2 ) = 65.0 N

3

Since the material from which the balloon is made has a mass of 2.85 kg (weight = 27.9 N),
the He inside the balloon weighs 65 N – 27.9 N = 37.1 N. Hence, the mass of the helium

( )
present in the balloon is m = ( 37.1 N ) / 9.80 m/s = 3.79 kg . Now we can determine the
2

number of moles of He present in the balloon:

m 3.79 kg
n= = = 947 mol
M 4.0026 10−3 kg/mol

Using the ideal gas law to find the pressure, we have

𝑛𝑅𝑇 (947 mol)[8.31 J/(mol ⋅ 𝐾)](305 K)

𝑃= = = 4.31 × 105 Pa
𝑉 4 3
3 𝜋(1.10 m)

9. Suppose a monatomic ideal gas is contained within a vertical cylinder that is fitted with a
movable piston. The piston is frictionless and has a negligible mass. The area of the piston is
 8.32 × 10-2 m2, and the pressure outside the cylinder is 1.01 × 105 Pa. Heat (1974 J) is
removed from the gas. Through what distance does the piston drop?

Solution:

The change in volume is V = – sA, where s is the distance through which the piston drops and A
is the piston area. The minus sign is included because the volume decreases. Thus,

– V
s=
A

3
The ideal gas law states that V = nRT/P. But 𝑄 = 𝐶𝑝 𝑛𝛥𝑇 = 2 𝑅𝑛𝛥𝑇. Thus,

3
𝛥𝑇 = 𝑄/ (2 𝑅𝑛). Using these expressions for V and T, we find that

3
– 𝑛𝑅𝛥𝑇/𝑃 – 𝑛𝑅 [𝑄/ (2 𝑅𝑛)] –𝑄
𝑠= = =
𝐴 𝑃𝐴 3
2 𝑃𝐴

– (– 1974 𝐽)
= = 0.157 𝑚
3
(1.01 × 105 Pa)(8.32 × 10–2 𝑚2 )
2

10. The hot reservoir for a Carnot engine has a temperature of 980 K, while the cold reservoir has
a temperature of 760 K. The heat input for this engine is 4800 J. The 760-K reservoir also
serves as the hot reservoir for a second Carnot engine. This second engine uses the rejected
heat of the first engine as input and extracts additional work from it. The rejected heat from
the second engine goes into a reservoir that has a temperature of 540 K. Find the total work
delivered by the two engines.

Solution:

The amount of work delivered by the engines can be determined from Equation 15.12,
QH = W + QC . Solving for W for each engine gives:

W1 = QH1 − QC1 and W2 = QH2 − QC2

The total work delivered by the two engines is

(
W = W1 + W2 = QH1 − QC1 + QH2 − QC2 ) ( )

But we know that QH2 = QC1 , so that

( ) (
W = QH1 − QC1 + QC1 − QC2 = QH1 − QC2 )
(1)

Since these are Carnot engines,

QC1 TC1 TC1  760 K 

=  QC1 = QH1 = ( 4800 J )   = 3.72  10 J
3
QH1 TH1 TH1  980 K 

Similarly, noting that QH2 = QC1 and that TH2 = TC1, we have

( )
 540 K 
TC2 TC2
QC2 = QH2 = QC1 = 3.72 103 J   = 2.57 10 J
3
TH2 TC1  760 K 

Substituting into Equation (1) gives

W = 4800 J − 2.57 103 J = 2.2  103 J