A cylinder has a cross-sectional area of 0.025 m2. How much work is done by a gas in the
cylinder if the gas exerts a constant pressure of 7.8 x 105 Pa on the piston, moving it a
distance of 0.080 m?
To calculate the work done by the gas in the cylinder, we can use the formula:
Work = Force x Distance
The force exerted by the gas can be calculated using the formula:
Force = Pressure x Area
Given that the cross-sectional area of the cylinder is 0.025 m^2 and the pressure exerted by the gas is 7.8 x 10^5 Pa, we can plug these values into the formula to find the force:
Force = (7.8 x 10^5 Pa) x (0.025 m^2)
Force = 1.95 x 10^4 N
Now we can calculate the work done by multiplying the force by the distance:
Work = (1.95 x 10^4 N) x (0.080 m)
Work = 1560 J
Therefore, the gas does 1560 Joules of work on the piston.