Free expansion of an ideal gas

In summary, for the free expansion of an ideal gas into an evacuated chamber, the work and heat are both equal to 0. This also means that the change in internal energy is 0, and since internal energy is solely dependent on temperature, the final temperature of the chamber will be equal to the temperature of the entering gas. However, to find the final pressure, data on the system is needed, such as the temperature and volume before and after expansion. Without this data, it is impossible to determine the final pressure.
  • #1
don_anon25
36
0
For the free expansion of an ideal gas into an evacuated chamber, I know that Work=0 and Q=0. Correct? This implies that the change in internal energy dU also equals 0. Since U depends solely on T, this should mean that the final temperature of the chamber is equal to the temperature of the ideal gas entering it. But what about the final pressure?
It's an ideal gas, so p1V1=RT1 and p2V2=RT2, but T1=T2, so p1V1=p2V2.
If you could point me in the right direction, that would be very helpful!
 
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  • #2
You've done all the work. What's the problem?
All you need now in order to find the final pressure, is data on the system. (for example, the temperature, the volume before and after, or any three pieces of data).
 
  • #3
The problem is that I only have the temperature and pressure of the entering gas, and no other data.
Any ideas?

Here's the actual problem: An ideal gas is allowed to expand freely into an evacuated chamber. The pressure of the entering gas is 5 bar and it has a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius.
Find the final pressure and temperature of the gas.

Are the assumptions I made (that W=0, Q=0, dU=0, and dT=0) correct?
Please help me!
 
  • #4
Yes, they are. And you need to know one more thing, they haven't given you enough data. (For different chamber volumes, you'll get different results...)
 
  • #5
Is there a different approach to this problem other than the one I've taken?
I know:
Q=0, W=0, dU=0, p1, and T1=T2.
How do I get p2?
 
  • #6
With P1 and T1, you work out V1. And with V1 and V2 (you must know how much the gas is expanded in volume) you work P2 out.
 

1. What is the concept of free expansion of an ideal gas?

The free expansion of an ideal gas is a process in which a gas expands into a vacuum without any external work being done on it. This results in an increase in volume and a decrease in pressure, as the gas molecules spread out to fill the available space.

2. How does the free expansion of an ideal gas differ from other types of expansions?

In free expansion, no external work is done on the gas, whereas in other types of expansions, such as isothermal or adiabatic, external work is done on the gas to change its volume. Free expansion is also irreversible, meaning the gas cannot return to its original state.

3. What is the relationship between temperature and volume during free expansion?

According to the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, the temperature and volume of an ideal gas are directly proportional. This means that as the gas expands, its temperature will decrease.

4. Can the internal energy of an ideal gas change during free expansion?

Since no external work is done on the gas during free expansion, the change in internal energy is solely dependent on the change in temperature. If the gas expands into a vacuum, there will be no change in internal energy as the gas molecules have no other molecules to interact with.

5. What are some real-life examples of free expansion of an ideal gas?

One example of free expansion is the release of compressed air from a container into a vacuum. Another example is the expansion of a gas in a balloon as it is released into the air. In both cases, the gas expands into a space with no other molecules, resulting in free expansion.

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