Final answer:
Work done by a gas during an expansion or compression can be calculated using the formula W = p × ΔV for a constant pressure process, while for an isothermal process the formula W = nRT ln(p2/p1) is used. These formulas require the values for pressure, volume change, and in some cases, the number of moles, gas constant, and temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the work done by the gas during a thermodynamic process, we can use the formula for work done during an expansion or compression at constant pressure, W = p × ΔV, where W is the work done, p is the pressure, and ΔV is the change in volume.
From the information provided in example 7.3.1, the work done by the gas during expansion from 3.44 L to 6.19 L against a constant external pressure of 1.26 atm can be calculated using the formula. First, convert the pressure to Pascals (1 atm = 101325 Pa), and then convert the change in volume from liters to cubic meters (1 L = 0.001 m³). Calculate the work done by multiplying the pressure in Pascals by the change in volume in cubic meters. Remember to convert the result from Joules to other units if needed.
In question 56, the work done is given by the formula W = nRT ln(p2/p1). Since this is an isothermal process at constant temperature, we use the ideal gas law and the fact that the natural logarithm of the pressure ratio (p2/p1) appears in the formula because the pressure changes quasi-statically.