Verifying properties of Van der Waals Gas

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on verifying properties of the Van der Waals gas, specifically transitioning from the Van der Waals equation to the Helmholtz free energy expression. The user successfully rewrites the Van der Waals equation and applies a Taylor approximation, leading to an expression for the Helmholtz free energy in terms of temperature and volume. The challenge arises when attempting to express the Helmholtz free energy in terms of temperature and pressure, with suggestions provided for substituting volume in terms of pressure. Ultimately, the user confirms that the suggested substitution works, resolving their issue.
baseballfan_ny
Messages
92
Reaction score
23
Homework Statement
(a) Show that the entropy of the VDW gas is ##\sigma = N \{ \ln \left [ \frac { n_Q(V - Nb) } {N} \right] + \frac 5 2 \}##

(b) Show that the energy of the VDW gas is ##U = \frac 3 2 N \tau - \frac {N^2 a} {V} ##

(c) Show that ## H(\tau, V) = \frac 5 2 N \tau + \frac {N^2 b \tau} {V} - \frac {2N^2 a} {V} ##
and ## H(\tau, P) = \frac 5 2 N \tau + Nbp - \frac {2Nap} {\tau} ## where ## H = U + pV##

All results arc given to first order in the van der Waals correction terms a, b.
Relevant Equations
Van der waals equation: ## \left( p + \frac {N^2 a} {V^2} \right) \left( V - Nb \right) = N \tau ##
So a and b were pretty straightforward. Got stuck on part c.

The question says they approximated Van der Waals in first order in a and b. So I started with that by rewriting Van der Waals eqn as ## p = \frac { N \tau } { V - Nb } - \frac {N^2a} {V^2} ## and I then Taylor approximated ## \frac {1} {V - Nb} \approx \frac 1 V + \frac {N} {V^2} b ##.

Then p becomes
$$ p = N\tau \left( \frac 1 V + \frac {N} {V^2} b \right) - \frac {N^2a} {V^2} $$

and subbing this into ## H = U + pV## gave me ## H(\tau, V) = \frac 5 2 N \tau + \frac {N^2 b \tau} {V} - \frac {2N^2 a} {V} ##.

Now I'm stuck on getting ## H(\tau, P) ##. I'm pretty sure all I need to do is rewrite V in terms of P, but I'm not able to do that. Just trying to write V from the 1st order approximation I got above of Van der Waals equation gives:
$$ p = N\tau \left( \frac 1 V + \frac {N} {V^2} b \right) - \frac {N^2a} {V^2} $$
$$ \frac {p} {N \tau} = \frac 1 V + \frac {Nb} {V^2} - \frac {Na} {V^2 \tau} $$

And that's still first order in a and b but I'm not sure how to solve it. Is there some approximation I'm missing?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Suggestion: ## PV=N \tau ## to zeroth order. Substitute ## V=N \tau/P ## in the denominator of the ## a N^2/V^2 ## term, (Edit: and/or the denominator of the ## H(\tau, V ) ## terms=it's very simple), and you then can get ## V ## in terms of ## P ## to first order in ## a ## and ## b ##.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes BvU and baseballfan_ny
Charles Link said:
Suggestion: ## PV=N \tau ## to zeroth order. Substitute ## V=N \tau/P ## in the denominator of the ## a N^2/V^2 ## term, (Edit: and/or the denominator of the ## H(\tau, V ) ## terms=it's very simple), and you then can get ## V ## in terms of ## P ## to first order in ## a ## and ## b ##.
Works! Thank you!
 
  • Like
Likes Charles Link
Thread 'Voltmeter readings for this circuit with switches'
TL;DR Summary: I would like to know the voltmeter readings on the two resistors separately in the picture in the following cases , When one of the keys is closed When both of them are opened (Knowing that the battery has negligible internal resistance) My thoughts for the first case , one of them must be 12 volt while the other is 0 The second case we'll I think both voltmeter readings should be 12 volt since they are both parallel to the battery and they involve the key within what the...
Thread 'Struggling to make relation between elastic force and height'
Hello guys this is what I tried so far. I used the UTS to calculate the force it needs when the rope tears. My idea was to make a relationship/ function that would give me the force depending on height. Yeah i couldnt find a way to solve it. I also thought about how I could use hooks law (how it was given to me in my script) with the thought of instead of having two part of a rope id have one singular rope from the middle to the top where I could find the difference in height. But the...
Back
Top