A gas is contained in a chamber such as that in Figure 15.4...

A gas is contained in a chamber such as that in Figure $15.4 .$ Suppose that the region outside the chamber is evacuated and the total mass of the block and the movable piston is 135 $\mathrm{kg}$ . When 2050 $\mathrm{J}$ of heat flows into the gas, the internal energy of the gas increases by 1730 $\mathrm{J}$ . What is the distance $s$ through which the piston rises?

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Gravitational Potential Energy

When a piston is raised, work is done against the force of gravity, which increases the gravitational potential energy of the system. By equating the work done by the gas to the gravitational potential energy gained by the piston (using the product of mass, gravitational acceleration, and height), one can determine the displacement of the piston.

First Law of Thermodynamics

This principle states that the increase in the internal energy of a system is equal to the heat added to the system minus the work done by the system. It provides the energy balance allowing us to relate heat input, work done by the gas, and the change in internal energy.

Work Done by a Gas

Work in the context of a gas expanding against an external force is defined as the force multiplied by the displacement (work = force × distance). In scenarios involving a movable piston, the work done by the gas translates into lifting the piston against external forces, such as gravity.

Transcript

Please give Ace some feedback