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Question

the internal energy of a system increased by 982 j when it was supplied with 492 j of energy as heat. (a) was work done by or on the system? (b) how much work was done?

Answer

{'(a)': 'Work was done on the system', '(b)': '490 J of work was done on the system'}

  • Q: What is the definition of internal energy? A: The internal energy of a system is the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of its particles.
  • Q: What is the first law of thermodynamics? A: The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed.
  • Q: How does the first law of thermodynamics relate to this problem? A: The first law of thermodynamics tells us that the increase in internal energy of the system must be equal to the amount of energy added as heat minus the amount of work done by the system.
  • Q: Using the first law of thermodynamics, was work done by or on the system? A: Work was done on the system since the internal energy increased by more than the amount of energy added as heat.
  • Q: How much work was done? A: The work done can be calculated using the formula W = Q - ΔU, where W is work, Q is heat, and ΔU is the change in internal energy. Substituting the values from the problem, we get W = 492 J - 982 J = -490 J. The negative sign indicates that work was done on the system.