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Ch 19: The First Law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 19, Problem 19

An experimenter adds 970 J of heat to 1.75 mol of an ideal gas to heat it from 10.0°C to 25.0°C at constant pressure. The gas does +223 J of work during the expansion. (b) Calculate γ for the gas.

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Identify the given values: heat added (Q) = 970 J, number of moles (n) = 1.75 mol, initial temperature (T_i) = 10.0°C, final temperature (T_f) = 25.0°C, work done by the gas (W) = +223 J.
Convert the temperatures from Celsius to Kelvin by adding 273.15 to each. T_i = 283.15 K and T_f = 298.15 K.
Use the first law of thermodynamics, which states that the change in internal energy (\(\Delta U\)) of the system is given by \(\Delta U = Q - W\). Calculate \(\Delta U\) using the values of Q and W.
Calculate the change in temperature (\(\Delta T\)) by subtracting the initial temperature from the final temperature in Kelvin. Use the formula for the change in internal energy for an ideal gas at constant pressure: \(\Delta U = nC_P\Delta T\), where \(C_P\) is the molar heat capacity at constant pressure.
Relate the molar heat capacities at constant pressure (\(C_P\)) and constant volume (\(C_V\)) using the formula \(\gamma = \frac{C_P}{C_V}\). Rearrange the equation to solve for \(\gamma\) using the calculated values and the relationship \(C_P = C_V + R\), where R is the ideal gas constant.

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Key Concepts

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

First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. In the context of thermodynamics, it relates the change in internal energy of a system to the heat added to the system and the work done by the system. Mathematically, it is expressed as ΔU = Q - W, where ΔU is the change in internal energy, Q is the heat added, and W is the work done by the system.
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Ideal Gas Law

The Ideal Gas Law is a fundamental equation in thermodynamics that describes the behavior of ideal gases. It is expressed as PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature in Kelvin. This law helps relate the macroscopic properties of gases and is essential for understanding how changes in temperature and pressure affect gas behavior.
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Heat Capacity at Constant Pressure (Cp)

Heat capacity at constant pressure (Cp) is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius while maintaining constant pressure. For an ideal gas, Cp is related to the number of moles and the change in temperature. It plays a crucial role in calculating the heat added to the gas and is essential for determining the specific heat ratio (γ), which is the ratio of Cp to the heat capacity at constant volume (Cv).
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