Ideal Gas & Piston Homework: Calculate Distance Moved

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SUMMARY

The discussion revolves around calculating the distance moved by a piston in a cylindrical container divided into two sections, A and B, containing monoatomic gas at different temperatures. The gas in section A is heated to 57°C while the gas in section B remains at 0°C, with both sections initially at 1.0×105 Pa pressure. The solution involves applying the ideal gas law to determine the final pressures and volumes in both chambers, leading to the conclusion that the piston moves due to the pressure difference created by the temperature change in section A.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Ideal Gas Law (PV=nRT)
  • Knowledge of thermodynamic processes (isobaric and adiabatic changes)
  • Familiarity with monoatomic gas properties
  • Basic principles of heat transfer and thermal equilibrium
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the Ideal Gas Law applications in thermodynamic systems
  • Learn about isobaric and adiabatic processes in detail
  • Explore the concept of thermal equilibrium in gas systems
  • Investigate the relationship between temperature, pressure, and volume in gases
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Students and educators in physics, particularly those focusing on thermodynamics, as well as engineers and scientists working with gas systems and piston mechanisms.

Asla
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Homework Statement


Asshown in the figure below, an enclosed cylindrical container(cross-sectional area : S) is divided into two sections (A,B) by piston P.The length of each section is 10cm.Each section contains a monoatomic gas at temperature 0°C and pressure 1.0×10^5 Pa.(both contain the same type of gas)The gas in B is in contact with the thermostatic bath and does not change temperature.The piston and the container do not conduct heat.The area of contact between the piston and the container is tightly sealed and frictionless
The gas in A is heated to 57°C using a heater.What distance does the piston P move?
attachment.php?attachmentid=59720&stc=1&d=1371733658.jpg


The Attempt at a Solution


I am still trying to connect the work done and distance moved.
I have a instinct that one of the gases is undergoing an isobaric change while the other undergoes an adiabatic change but I am not sure about that.
 

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You don't have to care about work done, or details of the changes. Just consider the system before (what is the relative amount of gas?) and afterwards (how does the new equilibrium position look like?).
 
Use the ideal gas law on each of the chambers. You know the initial temperatures, pressures, and volumes, and you know the final temperatures, but not the final pressures and volumes. However, you do know that the final pressures in the two chambers are equal, and you also know that the total volume of the two chambers does not change.
 

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