A closed system containing an ideal gas undergoes the two-stage process described below
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
A closed system containing an ideal gas undergoes the two-stage process described below.
• Stage 1: The gas is held at constant volume while 250J of energy is transferred into the gas by heating.
• Stage 2: The gas then expands against a constant external pressure, doing 180J of mechanical work on the surroundings. During this expansion an unknown amount of energy is transferred by heating.
After both stages are complete, the internal energy of the gas is 410J greater than it was before Stage 1 began.
(a) Determine the numerical value (with sign) of the energy transferred by heating during Stage 2. Show all steps clearly.
(b) Calculate the net energy transferred by heating during the entire two-stage process.
(c) State whether the gas did net work on the surroundings or the surroundings did net work on the gas over the complete process, and give the magnitude of that net work.