Question

A gas contained in a piston-cylinder assembly undergoes:

a) Constant pressure process
b) Adiabatic compression
c) Isobaric expansion
d) Reversible isothermal expansion

Answer 1

Adiabatic compression is a thermodynamic process in which a gas is compressed without any heat transfer occurring. The heat transfer that occurred prior to the process is not directly converted into work.

Step-by-step explanation:

The gas process described in option b) - adiabatic compression - is a thermodynamic process in which the system is thermally insulated and the gas is compressed, causing a decrease in volume and an increase in pressure without any heat transfer occurring. One example of adiabatic compression is the compression stroke in an internal combustion engine, where the piston compresses the air-fuel mixture before ignition. During the compression stroke, the temperature and pressure of the gas increase. In an adiabatic process, the heat transfer that occurred prior to the process is not directly converted into work. Instead, the energy comes from the internal energy of the gas.