Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
University Physics Volume 2

Challenge Problems

University Physics Volume 2Challenge Problems

Challenge Problems

94.

One mole of an ideal monatomic gas occupies a volume of 1.0×10−2m31.0×10−2m3 at a pressure of 2.0×105N/m2.2.0×105N/m2. (a) What is the temperature of the gas? (b) The gas undergoes a quasi-static adiabatic compression until its volume is decreased to 5.0×10−3m3.5.0×10−3m3. What is the new gas temperature? (c) How much work is done on the gas during the compression? (d) What is the change in the internal energy of the gas?

95.

One mole of an ideal gas is initially in a chamber of volume 1.0×10−2m31.0×10−2m3 and at a temperature of 27°C27°C. (a) How much heat is absorbed by the gas when it slowly expands isothermally to twice its initial volume? (b) Suppose the gas is slowly transformed to the same final state by first decreasing the pressure at constant volume and then expanding it isobarically. What is the heat transferred for this case? (c) Calculate the heat transferred when the gas is transformed quasi-statically to the same final state by expanding it isobarically, then decreasing its pressure at constant volume.

96.

A bullet of mass 10 g is traveling horizontally at 200 m/s when it strikes and embeds in a pendulum bob of mass 2.0 kg. (a) How much mechanical energy is dissipated in the collision? (b) Assuming that CvCv for the bob plus bullet is 3R, calculate the temperature increase of the system due to the collision. Take the molecular mass of the system to be 200 g/mol.

97.

The insulated cylinder shown below is closed at both ends and contains an insulating piston that is free to move on frictionless bearings. The piston divides the chamber into two compartments containing gases A and B. Originally, each compartment has a volume of 5.0×10−2m35.0×10−2m3 and contains a monatomic ideal gas at a temperature of 0°C0°C and a pressure of 1.0 atm. (a) How many moles of gas are in each compartment? (b) Heat Q is slowly added to A so that it expands and B is compressed until the pressure of both gases is 3.0 atm. Use the fact that the compression of B is adiabatic to determine the final volume of both gases. (c) What are their final temperatures? (d) What is the value of Q?

98.

In a diesel engine, the fuel is ignited without a spark plug. Instead, air in a cylinder is compressed adiabatically to a temperature above the ignition temperature of the fuel; at the point of maximum compression, the fuel is injected into the cylinder. Suppose that air at 20°C20°C is taken into the cylinder at a volume V1V1 and then compressed adiabatically and quasi-statically to a temperature of 600°C600°C and a volume V2.V2. If γ=1.4,γ=1.4, what is the ratio V1/V2?V1/V2? (Note: In an operating diesel engine, the compression is not quasi-static.)

Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-2/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-2/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Jun 11, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.