Adiabatic, isothermal, or isovolumetric

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a thermodynamic process where 300 calories of heat are added to a gas, resulting in an increase of internal energy by 500 calories. Participants are discussing whether this process is adiabatic, isothermal, or isovolumetric.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Some participants question the classification of the process, with one suggesting it might be isothermal due to work being done, while others argue against this based on the relationship between temperature and internal energy. There is also consideration of whether the process could be isovolumetric, given the heat flow and internal energy change.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the thermodynamic process. There is a recognition of the complexity involved, particularly regarding the additional energy beyond heat and its implications for the gas's volume.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem is a homework question with specific answer choices: adiabatic, isovolumetric, isothermal, or none. There is uncertainty about the nature of the additional energy contributing to the internal energy increase.

c4iscool
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Here's my problem:

300 calories of heat are added to a gas as the internal energy of the gas increases by 500 calories. The described thermodynamic process is best described as?

My guess is that the process is isothermal b/c work is being done in the system.
 
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Since temperature is usually the measure of internal energy, it's unlikely that the internal energy increased without the temperature being changed. So that's probably not an isothermal process.
 
if that's the case then maybe it's isovolumetric b/c adiabatic can't have heat flow into or out of the system. any other ideas?
 
c4iscool said:
Here's my problem:

300 calories of heat are added to a gas as the internal energy of the gas increases by 500 calories. The described thermodynamic process is best described as?

My guess is that the process is isothermal b/c work is being done in the system.
In what form is the 200 calories of energy added to the gas (since it is not in the form of heat)? What does that tell you about what happens to the volume of the gas?

What makes you think this is a choice between adiabatic, isovolumetric and isothermal?

AM
 
It's a homework question and the answers are adiabatic, isovolumetric, isothermal or none. as for your other question about the other 200 calories, I have no clue. but I would think that the volume would stay the same. is that wrong?
 
Last edited:
c4iscool said:
It's a homework question and the answers are adiabatic, isovolumetric, isothermal or none.
Then the correct answer is "None".

as for your other question about the other 200 calories, I have no clue. but I would think that the volume would stay the same. is that wrong?
As you observed, work is being done on the gas. That is what increases the internal energy of the gas over and above the heat that is added.

AM
 

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