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 cm​3​, and a temperature of 10°C
experiences a rise in temperature of 5°C and an increase in volume of 0.005 cm​3​. 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 cm​2 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 10​6​ 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 L​0 (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 m​2​, 𝛼​0 = 5 x 10​-4 K​-1​. When this sample is stretched to length L = 2L​0​, 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 - 0.00024𝜃​2​,
where 𝜃 is the Celsius temperature. Calculate the change of surface tension with respect to
temperature 𝜃, ​d​𝛾/​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 C​c​ is the Curie constant.