Question

Consider the following process: a system absorbs kj of heat from the surroundings and has kj of work done on it by the surroundings. What is the total energy change of the system?

1) The total energy change of the system is kj
2) The total energy change of the system is zero
3) The total energy change of the system is negative
4) The total energy change of the system cannot be determined without additional information

Answer 1

The total energy change of a system that absorbs heat and has work done on it by the surroundings is positive, which means the internal energy of the system will increase.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking about the total energy change of a system that absorbs a certain amount of heat and has a quantity of work done on it by the surroundings. According to the first law of thermodynamics, the change in internal energy of a system
`(\(\Delta U\))` is equal to the heat transferred into the system (q) minus the work done by the system (w). This can be expressed as:

`\(\Delta U = q - w\)`

So, when a system absorbs heat (q) from its surroundings and has work (w) done on it, both of these actions would increase the internal energy of the system. Therefore, the total energy change of the system is the sum of the absorbed heat and the work done on it.

If we are given specific values for the heat and work, we could simply add these values to find the total energy change of the system. Given that the signs of heat absorbed and work done on the system are the same (positive), the total change in internal energy would be positive, increasing the internal energy of the system. Without specific values provided, we cannot determine the exact numerical change of energy; however, we know it will be a positive value, assuming positive values for both heat absorbed and work done.

In conclusion, the total energy change of the system is positive, reflecting the addition of energy to the system.