Problem 20.12

Please wait for the animation to completely load.

There is a time delay—since the system must be in equilibrium—before the change of state occurs.

In this animation N = nR (i.e., k_B = 1). This, then, gives the ideal gas law as PV = NT.  The same amount of heat is added to an ideal gas in all three processes.  Restart.

1. What is the value of γ (the ratio of C_P to C_V) for this ideal gas?
2. According to the equipartition of energy theorem, how many degrees of freedom do the particles that make up this gas have?
3. Is the gas monatomic? diatomic? polyatomic?

When you get a good-looking graph, right-click on it to clone the graph and resize it for a better view.

Problem authored by Anne J. Cox.
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