In: Physics
A gas is contained in a vertical piston–cylinder assembly by a piston with a face area of 40 in2 and weight of 100 lbf. The atmosphere exerts a pressure of 14.7 lbf/in2 on top of the piston. A paddle wheel transfers 3 Btu of energy to the gas during a process in which the elevation of the piston increases slowly by 2 ft. The piston and cylinder are poor thermal conductors, and friction between the piston and cylinder can be neglected. Determine the work done by the gas on the piston, in Btu, and the change in internal energy of the gas, in Btu.
A force balance on the piston shows that, for this process, the gas pressure is:
constant and negative |
constant and positive |
increasing and positive |
decreasing and positive |