How Does Isothermal Expansion Affect Work and Entropy in an Ideal Gas?

In summary, thermodynamics is the study of energy and its transformations, while entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. The laws of thermodynamics govern the behavior of energy and its transfer, and the concept of entropy is closely related to these laws. Entropy tends to increase in isolated systems, leading to a decrease in usable energy. It is a fundamental principle in understanding the behavior of physical systems and plays a crucial role in many scientific fields, including chemistry, physics, and engineering.
  • #1
Dx
Hiya!
A container of ideal gas at STP undergoes an isothermal expansion and its entrop changes by 3.7JdegreeK. How much work does it do?

i have [del]S = [del]S_s + [del]S_env >= 0.

I am confused 1 mol of iseal gas at STP has vol = 22.4L but i usaully given themass also to find Q unless its 37. / 22.4 which gives me 1.0 x 10^3 J.
is this correct?
Thanks!
Dx :wink:
 
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  • #2
remember isothermal so [del]U = 0

dS = dQ/T

enough there to get the answer.
 
  • #3


Hi there!

To calculate the work done in an isothermal expansion, we can use the formula W = nRTln(V2/V1), where n is the number of moles of gas, R is the gas constant, T is the temperature in Kelvin, and V2 and V1 are the final and initial volumes, respectively. Since the gas is at STP, we know that the temperature is 273.15K and the initial volume is 22.4L for 1 mol of gas. However, we do not have enough information to calculate the final volume, so we cannot determine the work done. We would need to know the final volume or pressure in order to calculate the work done.

As for the entropy change, your calculation seems to be correct. The change in entropy is given by [delta]S = nRln(V2/V1), where n is the number of moles of gas, R is the gas constant, and V2 and V1 are the final and initial volumes, respectively. Using the values for STP, we get [delta]S = 1 mol x 8.314 J/mol K x ln(V2/22.4L) = 3.7 J/K.

I hope this helps clarify things for you! Let me know if you have any other questions. :)
 

1. What is thermodynamics?

Thermodynamics is the branch of physics that deals with the relationships and conversions between heat and other forms of energy.

2. What is entropy?

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness of a system. In thermodynamics, it is a measure of the amount of energy that is unavailable for work.

3. How does thermodynamics relate to everyday life?

Thermodynamics plays a crucial role in our daily lives, from the functioning of our refrigerators and air conditioners to the combustion engines in our cars. It also helps explain natural phenomena such as weather patterns and the functioning of our bodies.

4. What are the laws of thermodynamics?

There are four laws of thermodynamics, but the first two are the most well-known. The first law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another. The second law states that the total entropy of a closed system will never decrease over time.

5. Can the second law of thermodynamics be violated?

The second law of thermodynamics is a fundamental law of nature and cannot be violated. However, it is possible to temporarily decrease the entropy of a system by adding energy and creating order, but the overall entropy of the universe will still increase.

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