Two different gases occupy the two bulbs shown here. Consider the process that occurs when the stopcock is opened, assuming the gases behave ideally. (a) Draw the final (equilibrium) state. (b) Predict the signs of and for the process. (c) Is the process that occurs when the stopcock is opened a reversible one? (d) How does the process affect the entropy of the surroundings? [Sections 19.1 and 19.2]
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Textbook Solutions for Chemistry: The Central Science
Question
A standard air conditioner involves a refrigerant that is typically now a fluorinated hydrocarbon, such as CH2F2. An air-conditioner refrigerant has the property that it readily vaporizes at atmospheric pressure and is easily compressed to its liquid phase under increased pressure.The operation of an air conditioner can be thought of as a closed system made up of the refrigerant going through the two stages shown here (the air circulation is not shown in this diagram). During expansion,the liquid refrigerant is released into an expansion chamber at low pressure,where it vaporizes.The vapor then undergoes compression at high pressure back to its liquid phase in a compressionchamber.(a)What is the sign of qfor the expansion? (b)What is the sign of qfor the compression? (c)In a central air-conditioning system,one chamber is inside the home and the other is outside.Which chamber is where,and why? (d) Imagine that a sample of liquid refrigerant undergoes expansion followed by compression, so that it is back to its original state. Would you expect that to be a reversible process? (e) Suppose that a house and its exterior are both initially at . Some time after the air conditioner is turned on,the house is cooled to .Is this process spontaneous or nonspontaneous?
Solution
The first step in solving 19 problem number 94 trying to solve the problem we have to refer to the textbook question: A standard air conditioner involves a refrigerant that is typically now a fluorinated hydrocarbon, such as CH2F2. An air-conditioner refrigerant has the property that it readily vaporizes at atmospheric pressure and is easily compressed to its liquid phase under increased pressure.The operation of an air conditioner can be thought of as a closed system made up of the refrigerant going through the two stages shown here (the air circulation is not shown in this diagram). During expansion,the liquid refrigerant is released into an expansion chamber at low pressure,where it vaporizes.The vapor then undergoes compression at high pressure back to its liquid phase in a compressionchamber.(a)What is the sign of qfor the expansion? (b)What is the sign of qfor the compression? (c)In a central air-conditioning system,one chamber is inside the home and the other is outside.Which chamber is where,and why? (d) Imagine that a sample of liquid refrigerant undergoes expansion followed by compression, so that it is back to its original state. Would you expect that to be a reversible process? (e) Suppose that a house and its exterior are both initially at . Some time after the air conditioner is turned on,the house is cooled to .Is this process spontaneous or nonspontaneous?
From the textbook chapter Chemistry of the Nonmetals you will find a few key concepts needed to solve this.
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