Calculating the work done in a PV diagram

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the work done in a PV diagram, specifically during an adiabatic process. Participants are exploring the relationships between pressure, volume, and temperature, as well as the equations governing these thermodynamic processes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to find the work done in segment AB of a PV diagram but struggles with determining the volume and temperature at point B. They reference the area under the graph and the ideal gas law but face challenges due to missing information.
  • Some participants suggest using the adiabatic equation and question the possibility of finding a constant related to the process.
  • There are inquiries about the correctness of the methods used and whether there are shorter approaches to find the temperature at point B.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes attempts to clarify the relationships between the variables involved in the problem. Some participants have provided guidance on using specific equations, while others are still exploring different interpretations and methods without reaching a consensus.

Contextual Notes

Participants note constraints such as the inability to use the ideal gas law directly due to missing temperature information at point B, and the implications of the adiabatic process on internal energy and work done.

jisbon
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Homework Statement
2 moles of diatomic ideal gas goes through a cyclic process as shown below. From A to B (non-standard) , B to C (adiabatic), C to A (isothermal). Calculate work done by the gas in the process AB.
Relevant Equations
pV=nRT
1573479292112.png


So I've been digging this problem for quite some time, and still can't figure out a way to obtain work done in AB.
I do understand that work done in AB = area under the graph. However, I can't figure out how to obtain the volume at B. I can't use PV=nRT since I am unable to obtain the temperature at B. I am however able to obtain the temperature at A and C at 607.7K since it is a isothermal process. I tried summing change in internal energy =0, but can't proceed due to AB being a unstandard equation. What can I do in this case?
 
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For an adiabatic process ##pV^{\gamma}=constant##. Can you find the constant?
 
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Solved the problem as 176J. Thanks for the reminder for this formula :)
kuruman said:
For an adiabatic process ##pV^{\gamma}=constant##. Can you find the constant?
 
EDIT: An additional question, they want me to find the temperature at B. Since an adiabatic equation has changed in internal energy = -work is done, I used the following formula but seemed to get the correct answer.

$$\begin{aligned}\dfrac {5}{2}nR\Delta t=-W\\ =\dfrac {1}{1-\gamma }\left( P_{f}V_{t}-P_{i}V_{i}\right) \end{aligned} $$

Assuming x is the temperature at B, and volume at B found in part (a) to be 0.06095, and temperature at A to be 607.7K,

$$\dfrac {5}{2}\left( z\right) \left( 8.31\right) \left( 607.7-x\right) =\dfrac {1}{1-1.4}(\left( 0\cdot 1\right) \left( 1\right) \left( 1.01\times 10^{5}\right) -\left( 2\right) \left( 0.00095\right) \left( 1.01\times 10^{5}\right)) $$

Is this correct/is there a shorter way? Thanks
 
jisbon said:
Is this correct/is there a shorter way? Thanks
Can you get T at B from PV = nRT?
 
TSny said:
Can you get T at B from PV = nRT?
oh gosh. Guess I was just too blured :/ Thanks :)
 

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