Course: Mechanics and Thermodynamics (PH100)
TUTORIAL #02
Simple Thermodynamic Systems:
1. The equation of state of an ideal gas is PV = nRT , where n and R are constants.
(a) Show that the volume expansivity 𝛽 is equal to 1/T.
(b) Show that the isothermal compressibility 𝜅 is equal to 1/P.
2. The equation of state of a van der Waals gas is given as
(P + va2 ) (v − b) = RT ,
where a, b, and R are constants. Calculate the following quantities:
(a) (∂P /∂v)T
(b) (∂P /∂T )v
From parts (a) and (b) calculate (∂v/∂T )P .
3. The equilibrium states of superheated steam are represented by Callendar's equation, thus:
v − b = rT
P
− Tam ,
where b, r, a, and m are constants. Calculate the volume expansivity 𝛽 as a function of T and
P.
4. (a) A block of copper at a pressure of 1 atm (approximately 100 kPa) and a temperature of
5°C is kept at constant volume. If the temperature is raised to 10°C, what will be the final
pressure?
(b) If the vessel holding the block of copper has a negligibly small thermal expansivity and
can withstand a maximum pressure of 1000 atm, what is the highest temperature to which
the system may be raised?
(Note: The volume expansivity 𝛽 and isothermal compressibility 𝜅 are not always listed in
handbooks of data. However, 𝛽 is three times the linear expansion coefficient 𝛼, and 𝜅 is the
reciprocal of the bulk modulus B.
For this problem, assume that the volume expansivity and isothermal compressibility remain
practically constant within the temperature range of 0 to 20°C at the values of 4.95 x 10-5 K-1
and 6.17 x 10-12 Pa-1, respectively.)
5. A block of copper at a pressure of 1 atm, a volume of 100 cm3, and a temperature of 10°C
experiences a rise in temperature of 5°C and an increase in volume of 0.005 cm3. Assuming
the volume expansivity and isothermal compressibility given in problem 4, calculate the final
pressure.
6. Consider a wire that undergoes an infinitesimal change from an initial equilibrium state to a
final equilibrium state.
(a) Show that the change of tension is equal to
dℑ =− α A Y dT + AY L
dL .
(b) A nickel wire of cross-sectional area 0.0085 cm2 under a tension of 20 N and a
temperature of 20°C is stretched between two rigid supports 1 m apart. If the temperature
is reduced to 8°C, what is the final tension? (Note: Assume that 𝛼 and Y remain constant
at the values of 1.33 x 10-5 K-1 and 2.1 x 106 Pa, respectively.)
7. The equation of state of an ideal elastic substance is
ℑ = KT ( L
L0
−
L02
L2 ),
where K is a constant and L0 (the value of L at zero tension) is a function of temperature
only.
(a) Show that the isothermal Young's modulus is given by
ℑ 3KT L02
Y = A
+ AL2
.
(b) Show that the isothermal Young's modulus at zero tension is given by
Y 0 = 3KT
A
.
(c) Show that the linear expansivity is given by
3 3
ℑ 1 L /L0 −1
α = α0 − AY T
= α0 − T L /L3−2
3 ,
0
where α0 is the value of the linear expansivity at zero tension, or
1 dL0
α0 = L0 dT
.
(d) Assume the following values for a sample of rubber: T = 300 K, K = 1.333 ✕ 10-2 N/K, A
= 1 x 10-6 m2, 𝛼0 = 5 x 10-4 K-1. When this sample is stretched to length L = 2L0, calculate
ℑ , Y, and 𝛼.
8. The surface tension of water 𝛾 in dynes per centimeter is given by the empirical equation
𝛾 = 75.796 - 0.145𝜃 - 0.00024𝜃2,
where 𝜃 is the Celsius temperature. Calculate the change of surface tension with respect to
temperature 𝜃, d𝛾/d𝜃
, at 10°C and 60°C.
9. From the critical point, 5.2 K, down to the λ-point, 2.2 K, of liquid 4 He, the surface tension is
given approximately by
= 0.05 Nm (1 − 5.2T K ) .
Plot 𝛾 against T in this temperature range.
10. The emf of a Weston rechargeable electrochemical cell varies with temperature according to
ℰ = ℰ20 + α (θ − 20o ) + β (θ − 20o )2 + γ (θ − 20o )3 , where
ℰ20 = 1.01827 V ,
α = − 4.06 × 10−6 V /deg ,
β = − 9.5 × 10−7 V /deg 2 ,
γ = + 1.0 × 10−8 V /deg 3 .
Calculate ℰ and dℰ /dT at 25°C.
11. Calculate ( ∂E / ∂T ) and ( ∂ρ / ∂T ), for a dielectric material obeying the equation,
ρ
V
=(a+ Tb )E.
12. Calculate (∂ℋ/∂T )ɱ and (∂ɱ/∂T )ℋ ( for a paramagnetic material that obeying the equation,
Ccℋ
ɱ= T
where Cc is the Curie constant.
