# Work and ideal gases

## Homework Statement

One mole of an ideal gas does 1975 J of work on the surroundings as it expands isothermally to a final pressure of 1.2 atm and a volume of 24 L.

find the initial volume. The universal gas constant is 8.31451 J/K mol

## The Attempt at a Solution

Something he touched on in class, but I don't have relevant equations in my notes.

thanks guys!

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It seems as if for the work equations, I would also need the Temperature. Is there a way around that? or possibly an equation that allows me to get it?

Also, this is one of those things, that I just simply haven't done before... but how would I solve for a variable within the ln?

you end up with W=nRT*lnVf/Vi So how would I be solving for that Vi?

I like Serena
Homework Helper
It seems as if for the work equations, I would also need the Temperature. Is there a way around that? or possibly an equation that allows me to get it?

Also, this is one of those things, that I just simply haven't done before... but how would I solve for a variable within the ln?

you end up with W=nRT*lnVf/Vi So how would I be solving for that Vi?

Let's take this one step at a time.
That is, let's first set up the equations.
After that we'll see how we can solve them.

You ask how you can get the temperature T.
Well, perhaps you have overlooked the relevant equation on the wiki page.

It's:

p V = n R T​

Can you set up the equations?

Andrew Mason
Homework Helper
It seems as if for the work equations, I would also need the Temperature. Is there a way around that? or possibly an equation that allows me to get it?
T = PV/nR

Also, this is one of those things, that I just simply haven't done before... but how would I solve for a variable within the ln?

you end up with W=nRT*lnVf/Vi So how would I be solving for that Vi?
Use:

$$e^{\ln x} = x$$

AM