How Does Water Pressure Affect Piston Position in an Ideal Gas Cylinder?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on determining the position of a piston in a 1.00m tall cylinder filled with water, where the lower portion contains an ideal gas. The equilibrium condition requires that the pressure exerted by the water equals the pressure exerted by the gas. The pressure of the water is calculated using the formula Pw = gρ(1-h), where ρ is the density of water (1000 kg/m³) and h is the distance from the base to the piston. The user expresses confusion regarding the gas pressure calculation and seeks guidance on how to proceed with the problem.

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  • Understanding of fluid mechanics, specifically hydrostatic pressure.
  • Knowledge of ideal gas laws, particularly PV = nRT.
  • Familiarity with equilibrium conditions in physics.
  • Basic algebra and manipulation of equations.
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  • Study hydrostatic pressure calculations in fluid mechanics.
  • Review the ideal gas law and its applications in equilibrium scenarios.
  • Explore the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature in ideal gases.
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Students studying physics, particularly those focusing on thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, as well as educators seeking to clarify concepts related to gas behavior in closed systems.

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Homework Statement



An upright cylinder 1.00m tall and closed at it's lower end is fitted with a light piston that is free to slide up and down. Initially the piston is in the centre. Above the piston, the cylinder forms a cup-like cavity which water is poured into until it is full. Assuming that the lower portion of the cylinder contains an ideal gas, determine the position of the piston when the upper cavity is full of water.


Homework Equations



Density of water = 1000 kg/m^3

The Attempt at a Solution



I have tried doing this in so many different ways, here is but one (I have a very strong feeling i am barking up the wrong tree, this question is only worth 5 marks out of 100 on an exam paper. I must be overcomplicating it)

let h be the final distance from the base to the piston when the upper cavity is filled with water

let A be the area of the piston

Theory:
When the upper cavity is full of water, the preassure of the water acting down must be equal to the preassure of the gas acting up for equilibrium.
So find and equate the final equilibrium Preassures:

For the Water:

the preassure exerted is force/area

Pw = {mg}/{A}

since the mass of water m = \rho V

where the volume V = A(1-h)

so:

Pw = {g \rho A(1-h)} / A = g \rho (1-h)
Now for the gas:

?

I have no idea, this is where i confused myself.
After this, i tried doing it using relationships between the Work done on the gas and the work done by the water on the piston.

I'm thoroughly stuck and if anyone's seen anything like this before then i'd be glad of a kick in the right direction. (If you know please don't post the entire answer, I just need to know what I've missed or where to start. Thanks)

Edit: Sorry about the formatting, I tried to make it look pretty but my Latex is pretty rusty
 
Physics news on Phys.org
What do you know about the pressure and volume of an ideal gas?
 
PV = nRT = NkT

so:

P is proportional to V^-1
 

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