Free energy per unit volume of an ideal gas

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of free energy per unit volume in the context of an ideal gas. Participants are exploring the relationship between free energy, internal energy, and kinetic energy, as well as the implications of these definitions in thermodynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Some participants attempt to equate free energy with internal energy, while others question this assumption and seek clarification on the definitions involved. There is also a discussion about the role of kinetic energy in relation to free energy.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants raising questions about the assumptions made regarding free energy and internal energy. Some guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between free energy, internal energy, and entropy, but no consensus has been reached on the definitions or the correct approach to the problem.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference a specific exam question from the JNU Entrance Exam 2013 for M.Sc. Physics, which may impose certain constraints on the interpretation of the problem.

Pushoam
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Homework Statement


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Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


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I am taking the free energy as the internal energy of the ideal gas.

Then the average internal energy per unit volume is ## \frac { 3 nk_B T } {2 } ##.

So, the correct option is (c).

Is this correct?
 

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Pushoam said:
I am taking the free energy as the internal energy of the ideal gas.
Why did you introduce this approximation?

Also could you let us know the source of these questions.
 
Useful nucleus said:
Why did you introduce this approximation?

Also could you let us know the source of these questions.

I didn't introduce it thinking that this is an approximation. I thought that free energy is another name for internal energy.
But, now I think that the free energy should be another name for kinetic energy as kinetic energy gives an idea of the particles's freedom to move.
For an ideal gas, the internal energy is defined as the average kinetic energy of the molecules.

I think here, free energy should be the kinetic energy of the whole macrscopic system i.e. gas and I was approximating this kinetic energy of the macroscopic system to the average kinetic energy of the constituent gas molecules unknowingly as this was the only thing which I could do.

The source of these questions is the JNU ( An Indian University) Entrance Exam 2013 for M.Sc.Physics.
 
Free energy F = U - TS
U = internal energy
S = entropy

You need to invoke the 1st law and the entropy, both of an ideal gas, to come up with the answer.
 

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