How Does Compression Affect Temperature in Ideal Gas Laws?

In summary, the conversation discusses a basic high-school level question about ideal gas laws. The question is whether the temperature in chamber "b" rises while the temperature in chamber "a" falls when gas is compressed from "a" to "b" through a compressor. The conversation also mentions the work done on the gas during compression and assumptions made for the calculation of work.
  • #1
SBob
2
0
Perhaps I have some mental block with basic algebra (so don't judge me on that), but...
Here is a simple high-school level question regarding ideal gas laws:

If I have two fixed chambers "a" and "b", both of equal volume connected in the middle with a compressor, and I compress gas taken from "a" and move it to "b", does the temperature in "b" rise, while the temperature in "a" falls (excluding heat exchange with the environment)?

i.e. the volumes remain constant, but the pressure in "b" rises. The pressure in "a" falls. Does the temperature do anything?...during compression, some of the moles of gas will move from a to b as well...correct?

I hope you understand where I'm confused.


Thanks,
SBob
 
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  • #2
To compress the gas you do some work on it, so it is not a simple application of the ideal gas equation.
 
  • #3
Which equation would one use?
To be more specific, I'm trying to figure out how much work.

Assumptions:

Both chambers are equal volume.
Gas = Nitrogen (or some ideal gas)
They both start out at P0 = 2 atm pressure.
They both start out at T0 = 300K

---

From there, we compress from "a" to "b", until chamber "b" is at 3 atm, and chamber "a" is at 1 atm.

How much work, and how does that affect the temperature in "a" and "b"?
 
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Related to How Does Compression Affect Temperature in Ideal Gas Laws?

1. What is the basic ideal gas law equation?

The basic ideal gas law equation is PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles of gas, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.

2. What are the units for each variable in the ideal gas law equation?

The units for pressure (P) are usually expressed in kilopascals (kPa) or atmospheres (atm), volume (V) in liters (L), number of moles (n) in moles (mol), gas constant (R) in joules per mole-kelvin (J/mol*K), and temperature (T) in Kelvin (K).

3. What is the ideal gas law used for?

The ideal gas law is used to relate the physical properties of gases, such as pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles, to each other. It is often used in chemistry and physics to make calculations and predictions about gas behavior.

4. How does the ideal gas law differ from real gases?

The ideal gas law assumes that gases are made up of particles with zero volume and no intermolecular forces. In reality, gases have non-zero volume and experience intermolecular forces, so the ideal gas law is not always accurate. However, it can still be a useful approximation for many gases under certain conditions.

5. What are some applications of the ideal gas law in everyday life?

The ideal gas law has many practical applications, such as predicting the behavior of air in weather systems, calculating the volume of gas needed for a specific reaction in a chemistry lab, and determining the amount of gas needed for a scuba diving tank. It is also used in the design and operation of engines and other machinery that use gases as a source of energy.

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