Expansion of gas into a vacuum

In summary, the time taken for the gas to flow from F_1 to F_2 or expand into F_2, assuming no work is done, can be calculated using the ideal gas law and the aperture between the flasks.
  • #1
capanni
16
0
I have two scenarios.

Scenario one:
Consider an ideal gas in a flask F_1 of Volumne V_i = 1 m^3 at P_i = 8.0 atm
this is connected by a valve to a second flask F_2 so that the combination of F_1 & F_2 gives a volume V_f = 4 m^3.

When the valve is opened (instantly) the gas flows from F_1 to F_2 until the pressure is equalised.

Initial_________________Final
V_i = 1 m^3 V_f = 4 ^m3
P_i = 8.0 atm P_f = 2.0 atm
T_i = 298K T_f = 298K

With an ideal gas, no work is done.

Question, how long does it take for the gas to flow from F_1 to F_2, assuming the valve and connecting tube have no length. The flasks, if spheres would have approximate radius 0.62m and 0.895m respectively. The aperture between them is 0.1 m^2.

Scenario two:
This one may actually be easier.
Consider a perfect gas as before. In this case spherical flask F_1 is suspended centrally (by magic) inside flask F_2. All other things are the same as before.

Initial_________________Final
V_i = 1 m^3 V_f = 4 ^m3
P_i = 8.0 atm P_f = 2.0 atm
T_i = 298K T_f = 298K

Except because F_1 is inside F_2, the radius of F_2 is now approximately 0.985 m.
So that vol F_1 = V_i = 1 m^3 and vol F_2 = V_f = 4 m^3.

Question, if the shell of f_1 was to instantly be removed, how long does it take for the gas to expand into F_2?
 
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  • #2
Assuming there is no work done, the time taken for both scenarios would be the same. To calculate this, we need to use the ideal gas law. The ideal gas law states that PV=nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant and T is temperature. For scenario one, the time taken can be calculated as follows: Time = (V_f - V_i)/(A*sqrt((P_i*V_i)/(n*R*T_i))) Where A is the aperture between the flasks.For scenario two, the time taken can be calculated as follows:Time = (V_f - V_i)/(A*sqrt((P_i*V_i)/(V_f*n*R*T_i))) Where A is the aperture between the flasks.Therefore, the time taken for both scenarios would be the same.
 

1. What is the expansion of gas into a vacuum?

The expansion of gas into a vacuum refers to the process where a gas occupies a larger volume as it moves from a high pressure area to a low pressure area, such as from a container into a vacuum.

2. What causes the expansion of gas into a vacuum?

The expansion of gas into a vacuum is caused by the gas particles' natural tendency to spread out and fill any available space. In a vacuum, there is no external pressure pushing against the gas molecules, allowing them to expand and fill the space.

3. How does the expansion of gas into a vacuum affect temperature?

According to the ideal gas law, when the volume of a gas increases at a constant temperature, the pressure decreases. This means that as a gas expands into a vacuum, its temperature will decrease due to the decrease in pressure.

4. What is the difference between expansion of gas into a vacuum and expansion of gas into air?

The main difference between expansion of gas into a vacuum and expansion of gas into air is the presence of external pressure. In a vacuum, there is no external pressure, while in air, the gas particles are pushing against the surrounding air molecules. This results in a faster and more significant expansion in a vacuum compared to air.

5. What are some real-world applications of the expansion of gas into a vacuum?

The expansion of gas into a vacuum is used in many practical applications, such as refrigeration and air conditioning systems, where the expansion of gas into a vacuum is used to cool down a space. It is also used in vacuum pumps, which are essential in many industrial processes and scientific experiments.

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