ISI B.

Math Physics II
Problem Set II

1. The efficiency of a heat engine is to be improved by lowering the temperature of its low temper-
ature reservoir to a value τp below the environmental temperature τl , by means of a refrigerator.
The refrigerator consumes part of the work produced by the heat engine. Assume that both the
engine and refrigerator operate reversibly. Calculate the ratio of the net(available) work to the
heat Qh supplied to the heat engine at temperature τh . Is it possible to obtain a higher net energy
conversion efficiency in this way?

2. (a) Show that the entropy S increases with the volume V for a gas whose pressure P is known
to be proportional to the absolute temperature when the volume is kept constant.
(b) The internal energy u of a unit volume of a gas is a function of T only and the equation of state
for this gas is given by p = 13 u(T ).
(i)Determine the functional form of u(T ).
(ii) Calculate the entropy density for this gas using the boundary condition that the entropy van-
ishes at absolute zero.

3. The heat capacity of nonmetallic solids at sufficiently low temperatures is proportional to T 3 , as

C = aT 3 . Assume it were possible to cool a piece of such a solid to T = 0 by means of a reversible
refrigerator that uses the solid specimen as its low-temperature (variable!) reservoir, and for which
the high temperature reservoir has a fixed temperature Th equal to the initial temperature Ti of the
solid. Find an expression for the electrical energy required.

4. A room air conditioner operates as a Carnot cycle refrigerator between an outside temperature Th
and a room at lower temperature Ti . The room gains heat from the outside at the rate A(Th − Ti );
this heat is removed by the air conditioner. The power supplied to the cooling unit is P . Show that
the steady state temperature of the room is
1
Ti = (Th + P/2A) − [(Th + P/2A)2 − Th 2 ] 2

5. Show that a gas which obeys the van der Waals equation (p + Va2 ) × (V − b) = RT and whose
molar specific heat at constant volume CV is a constant and independent of temperature, the
internal energy (per mole) U is given by
a
U = CV T − + const
V
and that for an adiabatic quasistatic change

T (V − b)γ = constant

where γ = (CV + R)/Cp . Also determine the temperature change when this gas undergoes an
adiabatic free expansion in vacuum.

1
6. Consider a Carnot engine whose working material is a photon gas or radiation. The internal
energy density of this radiation is given by u = σT 4 (where σ > 0 is a constant) and the radiation
pressure p = 31 u
(a) Given Th and Tl (where Th and Tl are the temperatures of the high and low temperature reser-
voirs respectively) as well as V1 and V2 determine V3 and V4 .
(b) What is the heat Qh taken up and the work done by the gas during its first isothermal expan-
sion? Are they equal to each other, as for an ideal gas?
(c) Do the isentropic stages cancel each other out as in an ideal gas (i.e, is the work done during one
isentropic stage equal and opposite to that performed in the other isentropic stage of the cycle?) ?
(d) Calculate the total work done by the gas during one cycle. Compare it with the heat taken up
at Th and show that the energy conversion efficiency is the Carnot efficiency.

7. A body of constant heat capacity CP and at temperature Ti is put in contact with a reservoir at
a higher temperature Tf . The pressure remains constant while the body comes to equilibrium with
the reservoir. Show that the entropy change of the universe is equal to

∆S = CP [x − ln(1 + x)]
(Tf −Ti )
where x = − Tf prove that the entropy change is positive.

8. Two identical bodies, each characterized by a heat capacity at constant pressure C which is
independent of temperature, are used as heat reservoirs for a heat engine. The bodies remain at
constant pressure and undergo no change of phase. Initially, their temperatures are T1 and T2
respectively. finally as a result of the operation of the heat engine, the bodies will attain a common
temperature Tf .
(a) What is the total amount of work W done by the engine? Express the answer in terms of
C, T1 , T2 and Tf .
(b) Use arguments based upon entropy considerations to derive and inequality relating Tf to the
initial temperatures T1 and T2 .
(c) For given initial temperatures T1 and T2 , what is the maximum work obtainable from the engine?

9. The free expansion of a gas is a process where the internal energy U remains constant. In
connection with
³ ´ this process, the following quantities are of
³ interest.
´
∂T
(a) What is ∂V ? Express the result in terms of P, T, ∂P∂T and CV .
³ ´U V
∂S
(b) What is ∂V ? Express the result in terms of P and T .
U