Calculating Force of Expanding Compressed Gas

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the calculation of force generated by the expansion of compressed gas, exploring the relationship between pressure, volume, and force in various contexts. It includes inquiries about specific parameters needed for accurate calculations and considerations of different systems such as pistons.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about the possibility of calculating the force in Newtons when a compressed gas expands, emphasizing the need for specific details.
  • One participant notes that pressure is defined as force per unit area and asks about the pressure drop and volume expansion.
  • Another participant mentions that the volume expansion is twice the original volume but expresses uncertainty about the concept of pressure drop.
  • There is a suggestion that calculating the hydrostatic force exerted by the gas could be done by integrating pressure over the surface area, but this requires more specific details about the system.
  • One participant indicates that the problem is straightforward for simple systems like pistons but becomes complex for more intricate setups.
  • A participant references a previous post for more details on the topic.
  • There is a reminder against multi-posting in the thread.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that more specific information is necessary to calculate the force generated by expanding gas, but there is no consensus on the implications of pressure drop or the specifics of the system being discussed.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of clarity on the definitions of pressure drop and the specific system configuration, which affects the ability to calculate the force accurately.

Quaboble
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Hello, is it possible to figure out how much force in Newtons is created when a compressed gas expands?
 
Last edited:
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Pressure is force per unit area...What is the pressure drop and the volume expansion?
 
Quaboble said:
Hello, is it possible to figure out how much force in Newtons is created when a compressed gas expands?

Without more details, no.
 
Last edited:
Pressure drop? Not sure what that is :( Volume expansion is twice the original volume
 
Shooting star said:
Without more details, no.

More or less what he said.

When a gas is contained by some closed surface, the surface doesn't move because there is a force balance between the inside and ouside of the container. If you want, you could calculae the hydrostatic force exerted by the gas by integrating the pressure over the surface (which usually just amounts to multiplying the pressure by the area). But without a lot more details, it isn't clear how one would calculate the force on an expanding gas container. If it's a simple system like a piston, then the problem is fairly easy. For more complex systems...well, you'd have to give me a few more specific details before I could solve the problem.
 

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