Pressure-Volume Diagrams

Practice

practice problem 1

One mole of an ideal, monatomic gas runs through a four step cycle. All processes are either isobaric or isochoric. The pressure and volume of the gas at the extreme points in the cycle are given in the first two data rows of the table below.
  1. Sketch the PV graph of this cycle.
  2. Determine the temperature at state A, B, C, and D.
  3. Calculate W, Q, and ΔU on the path A→B, B→C, C→D, D→A and for one complete cycle. (Include the algebraic sign with each value.)
  4. Does this cycle behave more like an engine or a refrigerator?
           
state A B C D  
 P (Pa)   100,000   200,000   200,000   100,000   
 V (m3)  0.020   0.020   0.060   0.060   
 T (K)           
path A→B B→C C→D D→A ABCDA
 description   isochoric   isobaric   isochoric   isobaric  closed  cycle
 ΔU (J)           
 Q (J)           
 W (J)           
 

solution

Answer it.

practice problem 2

Write something else.

solution

Answer it.

practice problem 3

Write something different.

solution

Answer it.

practice problem 4

Write something completely different.

solution

Answer it.

The Physics Hypertextbook

  • No condition is permanent.