AEP 4230 HW 1 Solutions

By Your Handsome TAs

August 29, 2018

Problem 2
(a)
For the heat engine, the first law gives us

δQ1 + δQ2 = W

where δQ1 and δQ2 are the heat gotten from the reservoirs, with

δQ1 = Cp (T1 − Tf ), δQ2 = Cp (T2 − Tf )

So
W = Cp (−2Tf + T1 + T2 )

(b)
The second law of thermodynamics tell us that

∆S1 + ∆S2 + ∆Sengine ≥ 0

where the equal sign applies for reversible procedures. Note that in order to calculate the change of entropy,
we need to choose a ’reversible’ procedure with the same initial and final states. For the reservoirs, this
means a reversible isothermal procedure, so
Z Tf
Cp dT Tf
∆Sreservoiri = = Cp ln( )
Ti T Ti
and the state of the heat engine does not change, so

∆Sengine = 0

Figure 1:

1
 Figure 2:

Collecting things together, we will get

Tf2 Tf2 Tf2

Cp ln( ) ≥ 0, ln( ) ≥ 0, ≥1
T1 T2 T1 T2 T1 T2
So p
Tf ≥ T1 T2

(c)
Due to Carnot’s theorem, we get the maximal amount of work when the whole procedure is reversible, which
means that we get
∆S1 + ∆S2 + ∆Sengine = 0
and p
Tf = T1 T2
So putting this expression back into the expression for work, we get
p
W = Cp (−2 T1 T2 + T1 + T2 )

Problem 4
(a)
Piston does negative work, so according to the first law, and the fact that the system is insulated(∆Q = 0),
the internal energy decreases. As
3
∆U = kB ∆T
2
We know that the temperature also decrease.

(b)
As this procedure is not quasi-static, it cannot be reversible, so the second law tells us that

∆S > 0

(c)
(The problem is not clearly stated if the heat capacity is for one molecule or for the whole N particles, so if
your answer is differ by some N in front of CV it is still correct).
As the system is insulated, ∆Q = 0, so the first law tells us that,

∆U = Won

(Note that our sign convention applies to work done ’on’ the system)
V0 − V1
N Cv (T1 − T0 ) = mg
A

2
Then we combine ideal gas equation and mechanical equilibrium condition
mg N kB T1 A
P1 V1 = N kB T1 , P1 = , V1 =
A mg
So
mg N kB T1 A
N Cv (T1 − T0 ) = (V0 − )
A mg
Cv T0 + mgV
NA
0

T1 =
Cv + kB