An ideal gas is a hypothetical gas that follows the ideal gas law, which describes the relationship between pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas. It assumes that the gas particles have no volume and do not interact with each other.
As an ideal gas expands or contracts, it can do work on its surroundings by either pushing against a piston or rotating a turbine. This type of work is known as mechanical work.
The work done by an ideal gas can be calculated using the equation W = -PΔV, where W is work, P is pressure, and ΔV is the change in volume.
Yes, an ideal gas can do work without changing temperature. This is known as isothermal work and occurs when the gas expands or contracts at a constant temperature.
Ideal gases are used in many thermodynamic calculations because they are easier to work with and allow for simpler equations. They also provide a good approximation for real gases under certain conditions.