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Grade upto college level Thermal Physics

In rising from the bottom of a lake to the top, the temperature of an air bubble remains unchanged but its diameter gets doubled. If h is the barometric (expressed in metres of mercury of relative density ) at the surfaace of the lake , the depth of the lake is

a) m

b) m

c) m

d) m

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12 Years agoGrade upto college level
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1 Answer

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ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer1 Year ago

To tackle this problem, we need to apply some principles from physics, particularly those related to buoyancy and gas laws. The scenario describes an air bubble rising from the bottom of a lake to the surface, where its diameter doubles while its temperature remains constant. This situation can be analyzed using the ideal gas law and the concept of pressure changes with depth in a fluid.

Understanding the Pressure Change

As the bubble rises, it experiences a change in pressure due to the water column above it. The pressure at a certain depth in a fluid can be calculated using the formula:

  • P = P₀ + ρgh

Here, P is the total pressure at depth, P₀ is the atmospheric pressure at the surface, ρ is the density of the fluid (water in this case), g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the depth of the lake.

Applying Boyle's Law

Since the temperature of the air bubble remains constant, we can apply Boyle's Law, which states that for a given mass of gas at constant temperature, the product of pressure and volume is constant:

  • P₁V₁ = P₂V₂

In this case, as the bubble rises, its volume increases because its diameter doubles. The volume of a sphere is given by the formula:

  • V = (4/3)πr³

If the diameter doubles, the radius also doubles. Thus, the new volume (V₂) can be expressed in terms of the original volume (V₁):

  • V₂ = (4/3)π(2r)³ = 8(4/3)πr³ = 8V₁

Setting Up the Equation

Now, we can set up our equation using Boyle's Law:

  • P₁V₁ = P₂V₂

Substituting the volumes:

  • P₁V₁ = P₂(8V₁)

We can cancel V₁ from both sides (assuming V₁ is not zero):

  • P₁ = 8P₂

Relating Pressures to Depth

Now, we need to express P₁ and P₂ in terms of the depth h. At the surface of the lake, the pressure P₂ is simply the atmospheric pressure P₀. At depth h, the pressure P₁ can be expressed as:

  • P₁ = P₀ + ρgh

Substituting this into our earlier equation gives:

  • P₀ + ρgh = 8P₀

Rearranging this equation leads to:

  • ρgh = 8P₀ - P₀
  • ρgh = 7P₀

Finding the Depth

Now, we can solve for h:

  • h = (7P₀) / (ρg)

This equation tells us how to calculate the depth of the lake based on the atmospheric pressure, the density of water, and the acceleration due to gravity. If we have specific values for these variables, we can compute the exact depth.

Example Calculation

For instance, if we assume:

  • P₀ = 101325 Pa (standard atmospheric pressure)
  • ρ = 1000 kg/m³ (density of water)
  • g = 9.81 m/s² (acceleration due to gravity)

Substituting these values into our equation gives:

  • h = (7 * 101325) / (1000 * 9.81) ≈ 7.14 m

This indicates that the depth of the lake is approximately 7.14 meters. You can adjust the values of P₀, ρ, and g based on your specific conditions to find the depth for different scenarios.