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Ch 20: The Micro/Macro Connection
Chapter 20, Problem 20

b. A gas cylinder has a piston at one end that is moving outward at speed vₚᵢₛₜₒₙ during an isobaric expansion of the gas. Find an expression for the rate at which vᵣₘₛ is changing in terms of vₚᵢₛₜₒₙ, the instantaneous value of vᵣₘₛ, and the instantaneous value L of the length of the cylinder.

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Identify the relationship between the root mean square speed (vᵣₘₛ) and the temperature of the gas. Recall that vᵣₘₛ is proportional to the square root of the temperature (T) of the gas, expressed as vᵣₘₛ = \sqrt{\frac{3kT}{m}}, where k is the Boltzmann constant and m is the mass of a gas molecule.
Understand that during an isobaric (constant pressure) process, the temperature change of the gas is related to the change in volume. As the piston moves, it changes the volume of the gas, which in turn affects the temperature and thus vᵣₘₛ.
Express the change in volume (dV) in terms of the piston speed (vₚᵢₛₜₒₙ) and the cross-sectional area (A) of the cylinder. The change in volume per unit time can be written as dV/dt = A * vₚᵢₛₜₒₙ.
Relate the change in volume to the change in temperature using the ideal gas law under constant pressure, PV = nRT. Differentiating both sides with respect to time and considering n and R as constants, we get P(dV/dt) = nR(dT/dt). Solve for dT/dt to find how temperature changes with time.
Finally, differentiate the expression for vᵣₘₛ with respect to time to find dvᵣₘₛ/dt. Use the chain rule to express dvᵣₘₛ/dt in terms of dT/dt, and substitute the expression for dT/dt derived from the ideal gas law. This will yield dvᵣₘₛ/dt in terms of vₚᵢₛₜₒₙ, vᵣₘₛ, and L.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Isobaric Process

An isobaric process is a thermodynamic process in which the pressure remains constant while the volume changes. In the context of a gas cylinder, this means that as the piston moves outward, the gas expands without a change in pressure. Understanding this concept is crucial for analyzing how the gas behaves under these conditions and how it relates to the movement of the piston.
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Velocity Relationships

In this scenario, the velocities of the piston and the gas must be related through the geometry of the cylinder. The velocity of the piston (vₚᵢₛₜₒₙ) affects the rate at which the volume of the gas changes, which in turn influences the velocity of the gas (vᵣₘₛ). Establishing a relationship between these velocities is essential for deriving the expression requested in the question.
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Length of the Cylinder

The length of the cylinder (L) plays a significant role in determining the volume of gas and how it expands during the isobaric process. As the piston moves, the change in length directly affects the volume of gas, which is critical for understanding how the gas's properties change over time. This relationship is key to formulating the expression for the rate of change of vᵣₘₛ.
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