Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2011/paper-2/section-a/a4/solution
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2011 Paper 2 Section A A4 Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
For a monatomic ideal gas, . If the expansion is reversible adiabatic, is constant, soAdiabatic isolation alone does not imply this temperature law. For example, free expansion into vacuum has , so an ideal gas remains at . Thus is the usual intended answer with the additional isentropic assumption; the literal adjective “adiabatic” does not uniquely select it.[ref]
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics by Richard Fitzpatrick. “Isothermal and Adiabatic Expansion”, Eqs. (6.53) and (6.61); “Free Expansion of Gas”, Eqs. (6.144)–(6.148)
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