A gas expands its volume from 4.7 L to 8.9 L at constant temperature. Answer the following:

Question

a) If the gas expands against vacuum conditions, calculate the work (in joules) done by the gas.

b) Calculate the work done (in joules) by the gas if it expands against a constant pressure of 4.7 atm.

Answer 1

work = -pdV
a. If p is zero, then pdV is 0

b. substitute into the equation. dV is V2-V1.

Answer 2

Note that work in the above is in L*atm. You must change this to joules.