How Do You Calculate Steam Pressure in a Piston Cylinder?

[silntassassin]

Homework Statement

Steam moves into the cylinder of a steam engine at a constant pressure and does 0.79
J of work on a piston. The diameter of the piston is 1.7 cm, and the piston travels 2.2 cm
in one stroke. What is the pressure of the steam? Answer in units of Pa.

Homework Equations

w=f*r
a=pi*r^2
P=f/a
100 cm= 1m

The Attempt at a Solution

2.2cm=.022m
1.7cm=.017m

w=f*r
.79=.022*x
x=35.9090909091


now find area: a=pi*r^2

1.7=d
.85=r
pi*.85^2=2.269800692=a

p=f/a
p=35.9090909091/2.269800692
p=15.82


now this seems to be wrong but I do not understand what I am doing wrong. please help me.

 

[Redbelly98]

Try expressing the radius in m rather than cm.

 

[silntassassin]

ohh right i forgot to do that the second time i did the problem because i initally divided .022/.79 when it should have been the other way giving me the wrong answer to plug into get the pressure. But after I tried the radius in m I get a number like 39550.929555 and idk if that's right?

 

[Redbelly98]

Uh, not quite. The first answer, 15.82 Pa, was correct except for not converting cm into m.

The correct answer will have the same digits 1582, but the decimal point will be in a different place.

 

[silntassassin]

158.2?

 

[Redbelly98]

No.

35.9 N is the correct force.

What is the area in m^2, given r=0.85cm?