Another form of work is extension, defined as the tension...

Another form of work is extension, defined as the tension $\times$ change in length, $w=f \Delta l .$ A piece of DNA has an approximate tension of $f=10 \mathrm{pN}$. What is the change in the internal energy of the adiabatic stretching of DNA by $10 \mathrm{pm} ?$

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Key Concepts

Internal Energy

Internal energy is the total energy contained within a system, including all forms of kinetic and potential energy at the microscopic level. In the context of adiabatic processes, the work done on the system results in a change in internal energy, as all energy changes come solely from mechanical work.

Work

Work in physics is defined as the process of energy transfer when a force is applied over a distance. It is calculated as the product of force and displacement, and represents the amount of energy transferred to or from an object when that force causes a change in position.

Adiabatic Process

An adiabatic process is one in which no heat is exchanged between the system and its surroundings. In such processes, any work done on or by the system directly results in a change in the system's internal energy, because there is no heat transfer to offset the work.

Unit Conversion

Accurate calculations in physics often require converting units to consistent systems, such as converting picoNewtons to Newtons and picometers to meters. This ensures that when forces and displacements are multiplied together, the resulting energy is expressed in standard units like Joules.

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