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PRACTICE / First law of thermodynamics

Which way does energy cross the boundary?

A sealed gas in a piston absorbs 480 J as heat. During the same process it expands and does 170 J of work on its surroundings.

What is the change in the gas’s internal energy?

Organize the givens & assumptions
  • Heat absorbed: 480 J
  • Work done by the gas: 170 J

The gas is a closed system. Ignore changes in bulk kinetic and gravitational potential energy. Use Wby positive for work done by the gas.

  1. A+650 J+650\ \mathrm{J}
  2. B+310 J+310\ \mathrm{J}
  3. C−310 J-310\ \mathrm{J}
  4. D+480 J+480\ \mathrm{J}

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