During a certain thermodynamic process a
sample of gas expands and cools, reducing its
internal energy by 3690 J, while no heat is
added or taken away.
How much work is done during this process?
3690
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The change in internal energy of a gas can be written as the sum of the heat added to the gas and the work done by the gas during a process. In this case, since no heat is added or taken away, the change in internal energy is solely due to work done by the gas.
Therefore, the work done during this process can be calculated by using the formula:
Work done (W) = Change in internal energy (ΔU)
Given that the change in internal energy is -3690 J (negative because the internal energy of the gas reduced), we can conclude that the work done during this process is -3690 J.
To determine the amount of work done during a thermodynamic process, it is important to understand the relationship between work, heat, and change in internal energy.
According to the first law of thermodynamics, the change in internal energy (ΔU) of a system is equal to the heat (Q) added to the system minus the work (W) done by the system:
ΔU = Q - W
In this specific case, the problem states that no heat is added or taken away during the process (Q = 0). The change in internal energy is given as -3690 J (reduction in internal energy).
ΔU = Q - W
-3690 J = 0 - W
To find the amount of work done (W), we can rearrange the equation:
W = -ΔU
W = -(-3690 J)
W = 3690 J
Therefore, the amount of work done during this process is 3690 J.