When a diatomic gas is heated at constant pressure, it undergoes a process where part of the heat supplied goes into doing work, while the rest increases the internal energy of the gas. To understand how to calculate the percentage of heat supplied that is used for work, we need to delve into some thermodynamic principles.
Understanding the Basics
In thermodynamics, when a gas is heated at constant pressure, the heat added to the system can be expressed using the formula:
Where:
- Q is the total heat supplied.
- ΔU is the change in internal energy.
- W is the work done by the gas.
Work Done by the Gas
For a gas expanding at constant pressure, the work done can be calculated using the formula:
Here, P is the pressure and ΔV is the change in volume. Since we are dealing with a diatomic gas, we can also relate the change in internal energy to the temperature change:
Where:
- n is the number of moles of the gas.
- C_v is the molar heat capacity at constant volume.
- ΔT is the change in temperature.
Calculating the Percentage of Heat Supplied for Work
For a diatomic gas, the molar heat capacities are:
- C_v = (5/2)R
- C_p = (7/2)R
Using the relationship between heat capacities, we can express the total heat supplied at constant pressure as:
Now, substituting the expressions for ΔU and W into the first equation:
Since at constant pressure, PΔV = nRΔT, we can rewrite the equation as:
This simplifies to:
Finding the Work Percentage
Now, to find the percentage of heat supplied that is used for work:
- Percentage for Work = (W/Q) × 100
Substituting the values:
Thus, the percentage becomes:
- Percentage for Work = (nRΔT / n(7/2)RΔT) × 100 = (2/7) × 100
This results in:
- Percentage for Work ≈ 28.57%
Final Thoughts
In summary, when a diatomic gas is heated at constant pressure, approximately 28.57% of the total heat supplied is used for work. Understanding these relationships helps in grasping the broader concepts of thermodynamics and the behavior of gases under different conditions.