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Answer in brief · Q1

Q.A gas contained in a cylinder surrounded by a thick layer of insulating material is quickly compressed.

(a) Has there been a transfer of heat?
(b) Has work been done?
Maharashtra MsbshseTextbookSubjectiveImportance★★★★★
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✓ Free question

Step 1. The cylinder is surrounded by a thick layer of insulating material, so by definition no heat can cross its boundary at all — this is exactly the condition for an adiabatic process, Q=0Q = 0 (Section 4.7.3.5).

Step 2. The gas IS being compressed (its volume decreases), so mechanical work is being done — but since the gas's volume is decreasing, this work is done ON the gas by whatever is pushing the piston in, not by the gas on its surroundings.

Step 3. Since Q=0Q = 0 and work is done on the gas, the first law gives ΔU=−W\Delta U = -W with W<0W < 0, so ΔU>0\Delta U > 0 — the gas's internal energy (and temperature) rises purely from this adiabatic compression.

✓Final answer

  1. No — the insulation means Q = 0 (adiabatic).
  2. Yes — work is done ON the gas as it is compressed, which is why its temperature rises even with no heat added.

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