written by
Gary Gladding
published by
the University of llinois Physics Education Research Group
This item is an interactive homework problem for introductory physics relating to the First Law of Thermodynamics. A monatomic ideal gas in a sealed container undergoes four processes that increase or decrease its volume and pressure at a constant rate. Given initial values for pressure and volume, the student must determine how much heat was added to or removed from the system. Within this problem, the author provides explicit help to guide students in finding the area of the Pressure vs. Volume curve to determine the work done by the gas.
The problem is accompanied by a Socratic-dialog "help" sequence designed to encourage critical thinking as users do a guided conceptual analysis before attempting the mathematics. It is part of a larger collection of interactive problems developed by the Illinois Physics Education Research Group.
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/introphys/items/detail.cfm?ID=6444">Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, June 16, 2006.</a>
G. Gladding, (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), WWW Document, (https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm).
G. Gladding, Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), <https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm>.
Gladding, G. (2006, June 16). Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics. Retrieved February 11, 2025, from University of llinois Physics Education Research Group: https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm
Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, June 16, 2006. https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm (accessed 11 February 2025).
Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, 2006. 16 June 2006. 11 Feb. 2025 <https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm>.
%A Gary Gladding %T Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics %D June 16, 2006 %I University of llinois Physics Education Research Group %C Urbana %U https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm %O text/html
%0 Electronic Source %A Gladding, Gary %D June 16, 2006 %T Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Thermodynamics %I University of llinois Physics Education Research Group %V 2025 %N 11 February 2025 %8 June 16, 2006 %9 text/html %U https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/therm
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