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Iamworkingonaninstructionmanualofsortstobeusedwithanintroductorycourseinthermodynamics.Asanexampleofproblemsolving,I
attempttoanswerthefollowingquestion:
Ifyouhavelittleenergyavailable,wouldyouratheruseanisothermaloranadiabaticprocesstocompressagas?
Myanalysisisasfollows:
Theworkrequiredtocompressagasfromvolume$V_0$tovolume$V$is$$W=\int_{V_0}^{V}PdV$$Fortheisothermalcompression,the
idealgaslaw,$P=\frac{nRT}{V}$,isusedandinsertedintotheequationabove:$$W=\int_{V_0}^{V}\frac{nRT}{V}dV=
nRT\int_{V_0}^{V}\frac{dV}{V}=nRT\ln\left(\frac{V}{V_0}\right)$$Fortheadiabaticcompression,$PV^\gamma=P_0V_0^\gamma\iff
P=P_0\left(\frac{V_0}{V}\right)^\gamma$isvalid.Thus,therequiredworkis$$W=\int_{V_0}^{V}P_0\left(\frac{V_0}{V}\right)^\gammadV=
\frac{P_0V_0^\gamma}{\gamma+1}\left(V^{\gamma+1}V_0^{\gamma+1}\right)=\frac{PVP_0V_0}{\gamma1}$$
Thisresultindicatesthatthemagnitudeoftherequiredworkdependsonthepropertiesofthegasinquestion.Thus,itmayvarywhichofthe
twocompressionprocessesrequiresthelowestamountofenergy.
Now,finally,tomyquestion:
IntuitivelyIwouldassumethattheisothermalworkisusuallylowerthantheadiabaticwork,ascompressionlowersthevolumeofthesystem
andthereforeusuallyincreasesthetemperatureifheatexchangewiththesurroundingsisnotallowed.Isothermalcompressionrequiresheat
transfertothesurroundingstomaintainconstanttemperature,loweringthepressureofthesystemandthusloweringtheresistanceto
compressioncomparedtotheadiabaticcompression(whereheatexchangeisnotallowed).

physicalchemistry

thermodynamics gaslaws

editedJan21'14at10:40

askedNov28'13at10:00
Oveys
441
2 13

1 Abetterwaytoexpresstheadiabaticworkis$$W=\frac{P_0V_0PV}{\gamma1}$$.SatwikPasaniNov28'13at
14:06

1Answer
Tosolvethis,trytousewhatIcallthe"graphicalapparatus".Foranisothermalprocess:
$$PV=\text{constant}$$$$PdV=VdP$$$$\frac{dP}{dV}=\frac{P}{V}$$foradiabaticprocess:
$$PV^\gamma=\text{constant}$$$$\frac{dP}{dV}=\gamma\fracPV$$Therefore,startingatthe
samepointonaPVgraph,thecurvesforanadiabaticandisothermalprocesseswilldivergeand
theadiabaticcurvewillhaveasteeperslope.Forthesamereductioninvolume(thegraphinthe
pictureisforexpansion,notforcontraction.Incaseofcontraction,thecurveswillbereversed,i.e.
adiabaticcurvewillbeabovetheisothermalcurve,andwillenclosegreaterareaunderitforthe
samereductioninpressure),moreareawillbeenclosedbyadiabatic,andsincethearea$\int
PdV$,givestheworkrequired,isothermalworkissmallerthanadiabaticforthesamereductionin

volume.
Yourargumentiscorrect.Toprovidemoremathematicalsupporttoit,youcanobservethefactthat
itisbothincreaseintemperatureandreductioninvolumewhichincreasesthepressureinadiabatic
processandonlyreductioninvolumeincreasespressureinisothermalprocess.Theexponentof

tour

help

Takethe2minutetour

Isothermalvs.adiabaticcompressionofgasintermsofrequiredenergy

Istheisothermalworkactuallysmallerthantheadiabaticoneinmostcasesorismyargumentflawed?

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volumeinadiabaticequation($PV^\gamma=K$)is$\gamma>1$,ascomparedto1inthe
isothermalequation.Hence,pressurechangeismoresensitivetovolumechangeandislargerin
magnitude.
answeredNov29'13at16:19
SatwikPasani
2,458
1 5

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