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III. Long Answer Questions · Q11

Q.Derive the expression for the work done in a volume change in a thermodynamic system.

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Step 1. Consider a gas in a cylinder fitted with a movable piston of cross-sectional area AA, expanding quasi-statically by pushing the piston outward a small distance dxdx.

Step 2. The force exerted by the gas on the piston is F=PAF=PA (pressure times area), so the small work done by the gas is dW=F dx=PA dxdW=F\,dx=PA\,dx.

Step 3. Since A dx=dVA\,dx=dV is exactly the small increase in the gas's volume during this tiny displacement, this simplifies to dW=P dV.dW=P\,dV. …

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