Ideal gas, pistons and water

In summary, an upright cylinder with a free-sliding piston is filled with water in its upper cavity. The pressure of the water acting down must be equal to the pressure of the ideal gas in the lower portion of the cylinder for equilibrium. Using the equation for pressure of water and the relationship between pressure and volume for an ideal gas, the final position of the piston can be determined.
  • #1
knowlewj01
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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
 
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  • #2
What do you know about the pressure and volume of an ideal gas?
 
  • #3
PV = nRT = NkT

so:

P is proportional to V^-1
 

1. What is an ideal gas?

An ideal gas is a theoretical gas that follows the ideal gas law, which states that the pressure, volume, and temperature of the gas are directly proportional to each other. It is an imaginary gas that has no intermolecular forces and takes up no volume.

2. How do pistons work in a gas system?

Pistons work in a gas system by creating a seal between two parts of a container. When the gas is compressed, the piston moves to decrease the volume of the gas, increasing its pressure. When the gas expands, the piston moves to increase the volume, decreasing its pressure.

3. Can an ideal gas exist in real life?

No, an ideal gas cannot exist in real life because all gases have some level of intermolecular forces and take up a certain amount of volume. However, some gases can behave similarly to an ideal gas under certain conditions.

4. How does water behave as a gas?

Water can exist as a gas at high temperatures and low pressures, known as water vapor. It follows the same laws as other ideal gases, but its behavior can also be affected by its polarity and hydrogen bonding properties.

5. How do temperature and pressure affect the behavior of an ideal gas?

According to the ideal gas law, temperature and pressure are directly proportional to the volume of an ideal gas. This means that as temperature increases, the volume of the gas also increases, and as pressure increases, the volume decreases. This relationship allows us to predict the behavior of ideal gases under different conditions.

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