Isobaric, Isochoric, Isothermal, and Adiabatic Processes

Learning Goal: To recognize various types of processes on diagrams and to understand the

relationship between -diagram geometry and the quantities , , and . The first law of thermodynamics is an expression of conservation of energy. This law states that changes in the internal energy of a system out of the system in the form of heat thermodynamics as can be explained in terms of energy transfer into or . In this problem, we will write the first law of

and/or work

. Here "in" means that energy is being transferred into the system, thereby raising its internal energy, and "out" means that energy is leaving the system, thereby reducing its internal energy. You will determine the sizes of these energy transfers and classify their effect on the system as energy in or energy out. Consider a system consisting of an ideal gas confined within a container, one wall of which is a movable piston. Energy can be added to the gas in the form of heat by applying a flame to the outside of the container. Conversely, energy can also be removed from the gas in the form of heat by immersing the container in ice water. Energy can be added to the system in the form of work by pushing the piston in, thereby compressing the gas. Conversely, if the gas pushes the piston out, thereby pushing some atmosphere aside, the internal energy of the gas is reduced by the amount of work done. The internal energy of an ideal gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature gas also obeys the ideal gas law , so the absolute temperature the volume confined, and . Here is directly proportional to the product of the absolute pressure and . An ideal

denotes the amount of gas in moles, which is a constant because the gas is

is the universal gas constant.

A diagram is a convenient way to track the pressure and volume of a system. Energy transfers by heat and/or work are associated with processes, which are lines or curves on the diagram taking the system from one state (i.e., one point on the diagram) to another. Work corresponds geometrically to the area under the curve on

a diagram. If the volume increases (i.e., the system expands) the work will be classified as an energy output from the system. Part A What is the sign of Recall that Hint A.1 as the system of ideal gas goes from point A to point B on the graph? . Hint not displayed ANSWER: The internal energy of the system increases, so The internal energy of the system decreases, so is positive. is negative. is zero.

is proportional to

How to approach the problem

The states A and B have the same internal energy, so

cannot be determined without knowing the process used (i.e., the path taken) to get from state A to state B Correct The value of depends only on the state of the system. Thus depends only on the endpoint states, not on the process followed that determines the path between the endpoint states. One possible way for the system to get from state A to state B is to follow a hyperbolic curve through point C, along which the product of is a constant.

Temperature is proportional to the product anisothermal process. Part B How are Hint B.1 and

, so this is a constant-temperature path, also known as

related during this isothermal expansion?

Find the sign of Hint not displayed

ANSWER:

Both Both Both

and and and

equal zero. provide energy input. provide energy output.

provides energy output, while magnitude. provides energy input, while magnitude. Correct

provides energy input. They are equal in provides energy output. They are equal in

You can tell that the system is losing internal energy due to work because its volume is increasing. The internal energy change during any isothermal process involving an ideal gas is zero, so here the system must gain as much energy in the form of heat as it loses by doing work during this process. Another way to get from state A to state B is to go vertically from A to point D, holding volume constant, and then go horizontally to point B, holding pressure constant.

A constant-volume path is called an isochoric process. A constant-pressure path is called an isobaric process. Part C How are Hint C.1 and related during the isochoric part of the overall path from state A to state D? Hint not displayed ANSWER: Both and equal zero. equals zero. equals zero. provides energy output. provides energy input.

How to approach the problem

provides energy input, while provides energy output, while provides energy input, while provides energy output, while Correct

You can tell that the system is losing internal energy since its temperature goes down (since goes down). No work is done during any isochoric process, since no area accumulates under a vertical curve. Hence energy transfer in the form of heat must account for the entire internal energy change. Part D How are ANSWER: and related during the isobaric part of the overall path from state D to state B? Both and provide energy input.

Both

and

provide energy output. provides energy input. They are equal in provides energy input; provides energy input; is larger. is larger.

provides energy output, while magnitude. provides energy output, while provides energy output, while Correct

In going from state A to state D the system loses internal energy. Since the overall change of internal energy from state A to state B is zero, during the isobaric part of the overall process the system internal energy must increase. Since the system is expanding, internal energy is lost from the system due to work. Hence internal energy. must exceed (in magnitude) to explain the net increase in

Another way to get from state A to state B is to follow an adiabatic path from state A to state E, in which no heat energy transfer is allowed, and then to follow an isochoric path from state E vertically

to state B. part of this path, from state A to state E, since the system is expanding. Part E

Notice that during the adiabatic by definition and internal energy is lost due to work

Which of the following statements are true about the isochoric part of the overall path, from state E to state B? Hint E.1 How to approach the problem Hint not displayed Check all that apply. ANSWER: is zero. provides energy input. decreases. increases. Correct Since no work is allowed in isochoric processes, must serve as an energy input to explain the increase in both absolute temperature and internal energy.

One more way to get from state A to state B is to follow a direct path through state

F. This process is not isobaric, isochoric, isothermal, or adiabatic, yet you can draw some conclusions about its energetics using the first law of thermodynamics. Part F Which of the following statements are true about the first half of this process, just going from state A to state F?

Check all that apply. ANSWER: Both and increase.

provides energy input. provides energy input. is larger (in magnitude) than Correct State F has a larger value than state A, so the internal energy increases in this part of the process. Since the system is expanding, internal energy is lost from the system due to work. Hence must exceed (in magnitude) to explain the net increase in internal energy. .

Understanding what happens during the second half of the process, going from state F to state B, is more subtle. The temperature and the internal energy both go down. Since the system continues to expand, whether provides energy output. However, it is challenging to determine provides energy input or energy output from state F to state B. Can you figure it out?

In practice there are two different ways to prevent the transfer of heat. a) Provide very good thermal insulation of the system. b) Complete the process in a very short time interval, so that there is no time for appreciable heat transfer. The combustion process inside a car engine is essentially adiabatic for this reason.