The discussion focuses on the calculations involved in adiabatic compression of air in a pump, specifically addressing a scenario where air is compressed from atmospheric pressure to 17 atmospheres. Key calculations include determining the final volume and temperature of the compressed air using the formula Vf = Vi(Pi/Pf)^(1/γ), where γ is 1.4 for diatomic gases like air. The increase in internal energy during compression is calculated using ΔE = 2.5 nR ΔT, resulting in a value of 59.5 Joules. The discussion also touches on the thermal equilibrium between the compressed air and the steel cylinder, emphasizing the need to consider specific heat and density in the calculations.
PREREQUISITESStudents studying thermodynamics, mechanical engineers involved in fluid dynamics, and anyone working with pneumatic systems in industrial applications.
Hmmm. Well, if it is truly adiabatic, then the gas can't exchange heat with the cylinder. So there is some ambiguity here. However, the version I just presented assumes that the combination of gas and cylinder is adiabatic.haruspex said:The question statement says the air is compressed adiabatically.