Adiabatic Expansion of a Gas: Final Pressure-Volume Product Calculation

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
1 reply · 2K views
vetgirl1990
Messages
85
Reaction score
3

Homework Statement


A gas consisting of diatomic molecules that can rotate but not oscillate at a given range of temperatures expands adiabatically from pressure of 365Pa and volume of 70m3, doing 101J of work, while expanding to a final volume. What is its final PV (pressure volume) product?

Homework Equations


For an adiabatic expansion:
W = (1/ϒ-1)(pfvf - pivi)

The Attempt at a Solution


i) Degrees of freedom: 3
Therefore, ϒ=1.4

ii) Plug and chug of the equation above.
W = (1/ϒ-1)(pfvf - pivi)
101 = (1/1.4-1)(pfvf - 365*70)
101 = 2.5pfvf - 63875
pfvf = 25590 Pa / m3

I'm fairly certain I found the degrees of freedom correctly, and the latter part of my calculations is pretty straightforward... Still getting the wrong answer, however. Chance that the answer is wrong? Or am I approaching the problem incorrectly?
 
Physics news on Phys.org