The work done by the engines is utilized to move a vehicle or create electricity. This page explains work in physics as the force multiplied by the path element, discussing types like frictional and electrical work. For this purpose, we consider the thermodynamic process of a gas which is enclosed in a cylinder and sealed with a movable piston.
When we subject the gas to these thermodynamics processes, the pressure and volume of the gas can change. Determine the work done by the gas on the cylinder, and sketch a pv diagram of the situation. We will derive the equation of work done in terms of pressure and volume.
The pressure p in the work done by a gas equation is not the pressure of the gas but the pressure of the surroundings. The pv diagram shows a gas going from a smaller to a bigger volume, while the pressure stays constant. During an isobaric process the gas is heated and expands from 0.25 m3 to 0.55 m3. Consider a gas sealed in a container with a tightly fitting yet movable piston as seen below.
Calculate the work done by gas. The gas is then heated. This is because when a gas expands, it does work on the surroundings. Visit this page to learn about work done by gas when pressure and volume changes.
Let a be the area of the piston, the pressure exerted by the piston on the system will be, p=f x /a, substituting in the work expression, dw = padx. We can do work on the gas by pressing the piston downward, and we can heat up the gas by placing the container over a flame or submerging it in a bath of boiling water. Derivatio and examples are also provided.