How Do Initial Pressures Compare in Two Heated Monatomic Gas Containers?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the initial pressures of two heated monatomic gas containers, one rigid (Container A) and one with a movable piston (Container B). Both containers hold identical amounts of gas at 20°C and are heated equally. The ideal gas law (PV = nRT) is applicable, but the challenge lies in determining the number of moles of gas (n) for accurate pressure calculations. The assumption of an initial pressure of 1 atm for Container A is suggested to facilitate the analysis of Container B's pressure when the piston reaches equilibrium.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Ideal Gas Law (PV = nRT)
  • Knowledge of thermodynamic concepts related to heat transfer (Q = nC*(delta)T)
  • Familiarity with work done by gases (W = -p*(delta)Volume)
  • Basic principles of pressure and volume in gas systems
NEXT STEPS
  • Calculate the number of moles of gas using the Ideal Gas Law
  • Explore the concept of equilibrium in gas systems with movable pistons
  • Investigate the effects of temperature changes on gas pressure
  • Learn about monatomic gas behavior under varying conditions
USEFUL FOR

Students studying thermodynamics, physics enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding gas behavior in different container types.

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Homework Statement



Two 800 cm^3 containers hold identical amounts of a monatomic gas at 20 C. Container A is rigid. Container B has a 100 cm^2 piston with a mass of 10 kg that can slide up and down vertically without friction. Both containers are placed on identical heaters and heated for equal amounts of time.

What are the initial pressures in each container?

Homework Equations



PV = nRT
Q = nC*(delta)T
W = - p*(delta)Volume



The Attempt at a Solution



I've no idea. I've worked on this for 3 hours and I feel that I have two unknowns so far. I want to know the pressure in one of the containers, say V_1 for cylinder one.

So...

P = n*R*T/V_1

But how do I find the moles of this gas? And if that's not needed, what can I possibly do to fix this? I must be missing something obvious.
 
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I believe you're right, that the pressure in the first container cannot be known from the info given. My guess is this is an oversight, and the assumption is that it is 1atm, because the interesting part of the problem has to do with the piston. So if you assume 1atm initially can you compute the pressure of the second vessel when the piston is in its equilibrium position?
 

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