Show that the bulk modulus (Section 12–5) for an ideal gas held at constant temperature is B = P, where P is the pressure.
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21. Kinetic Theory of Ideal Gases
The Ideal Gas Law
Problem 69b
Textbook Question
A heat engine takes a diatomic gas around the cycle shown in Fig. 20–23. Determine the temperature at point c.


1
Step 1: Identify the type of process between points b and c. The graph indicates that the process is adiabatic, meaning no heat is exchanged with the surroundings. For an adiabatic process, the relationship between pressure (P), volume (V), and temperature (T) is governed by the adiabatic equation: \( P V^\gamma = \text{constant} \), where \( \gamma \) is the adiabatic index.
Step 2: Determine the adiabatic index \( \gamma \) for a diatomic gas. For diatomic gases, \( \gamma = \frac{C_p}{C_v} \), where \( C_p \) is the specific heat at constant pressure and \( C_v \) is the specific heat at constant volume. For diatomic gases, \( \gamma \approx 1.4 \).
Step 3: Use the ideal gas law \( P V = n R T \) to relate pressure, volume, and temperature at point b. From the graph, the pressure and volume at point b can be read, and the temperature at point b can be calculated using \( T_b = \frac{P_b V_b}{n R} \).
Step 4: Apply the adiabatic relationship \( T_c V_c^{\gamma - 1} = T_b V_b^{\gamma - 1} \) to find the temperature at point c. Rearrange this equation to solve for \( T_c \): \( T_c = T_b \left( \frac{V_b}{V_c} \right)^{\gamma - 1} \). Substitute the values for \( T_b \), \( V_b \), \( V_c \), and \( \gamma \).
Step 5: Perform the substitution and simplify the expression to find \( T_c \). Ensure all units are consistent (e.g., pressure in pascals, volume in cubic meters, and temperature in kelvin). This will yield the temperature at point c.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Heat Engine
A heat engine is a device that converts thermal energy into mechanical work by exploiting the temperature difference between a hot reservoir and a cold reservoir. It operates on a cyclic process, absorbing heat from the hot reservoir, performing work, and then releasing some heat to the cold reservoir. The efficiency of a heat engine is determined by the ratio of work output to heat input.
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Ideal Gas Law
The Ideal Gas Law is a fundamental equation in thermodynamics that relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of an ideal gas. It is expressed as PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature. This law is crucial for determining the state of a gas in various thermodynamic processes.
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Ideal Gases and the Ideal Gas Law
Thermodynamic Cycles
Thermodynamic cycles describe the series of processes that a working substance undergoes in a heat engine. Each cycle consists of isothermal, adiabatic, isochoric, and isobaric processes, which define how the gas expands and contracts while exchanging heat. Understanding these cycles is essential for analyzing the performance and efficiency of heat engines, including calculating temperatures at various points in the cycle.
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