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NCERT Exemplar · Q4

Q.An ideal gas is carried once around the cyclic process A→B→C→D→AA\to B\to C\to D\to A on a PP-VV diagram whose four corners are: AA at (volume VoV_o, pressure PoP_o), BB at (volume 3Vo3V_o, pressure PoP_o), CC at (volume 3Vo3V_o, pressure 2Po2P_o) and DD at (volume VoV_o, pressure 2Po2P_o). The steps are: A→BA\to B an expansion at constant pressure PoP_o; B→CB\to C a pressure rise at constant volume 3Vo3V_o; C→DC\to D a compression at constant pressure 2Po2P_o; D→AD\to A a pressure drop at constant volume VoV_o. Find the net work done by the gas in one complete cycle.

(a) 6PoVo6P_oV_o
(b) −2PoVo-2P_oV_o
(c) +2PoVo+2P_oV_o
(d) +4PoVo+4P_oV_o
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Work done by the gas in a cycle equals the enclosed area, with a sign set by the direction. The path A→B→C→D→AA\to B\to C\to D\to A runs counter-clockwise around a rectangle of area 2PoVo2P_oV_o, giving W=−2PoVoW=-2P_oV_o.

Concept

For a cyclic process Wby gas=∮P dVW_{\text{by gas}}=\oint P\,dV. Only the horizontal (constant-pressure) legs contribute, since constant-volume legs have dV=0dV=0.

Step-by-step

  • A→BA\to B (constant PoP_o, Vo→3VoV_o\to 3V_o): W1=Po(3Vo−Vo)=+2PoVoW_1=P_o(3V_o-V_o)=+2P_oV_o.
  • B→CB\to C (constant VV): W2=0W_2=0.
  • C→DC\to D (constant 2Po2P_o, 3Vo→Vo3V_o\to V_o): W3=2Po(Vo−3Vo)=−4PoVoW_3=2P_o(V_o-3V_o)=-4P_oV_o.
  • D→AD\to A (constant VV): W4=0W_4=0.

W=W1+W2+W3+W4=2PoVo−4PoVo=−2PoVo.W=W_1+W_2+W_3+W_4=2P_oV_o-4P_oV_o=-2P_oV_o. …

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