Homework 10 Solution Physics 404 - Spring 2011

Homework 10 Solutions

Question 1

K+K Chapter 8, Problem 5. The best case scenario is that the plant operates as a
thermodynamic heat engine on the Carnot cycle and has an efficiency given by:

W Th Tl
c = = (1)
Qh Th

Also Ql = Qh Tl /Th , which follows from the fact that the process is reversible (hence dS=0).
Using this we can write the work in terms of Ql instead of Qh as:

Th Tl
W = Ql (2)
Tl

(pay attention to the denominator). We are given that the upper limit to the heat that
can be released in one second is Ql = 1.5 109 J. Using this we can obtain the maximum
amount of work per second

500o C 20o C
W = 1.5 109 J = 2.46 109 J (3)
293K

or P = W = 2.46GW . Note that in the numerator we used temperatures in units of

Celsius. This is ok, because the difference of two temperatures is the same in both units.
The denominator on the other hand has to be in the absolute temperature scale.
If TH is raised by 100o C, the output will be greater

600o C 20o C
W = 1.5 109 J = 2.97 109 J (4)
293K

or P = W = 2.97GW . This is the best case scenario. In reality inefficiencies will limit the
useful work output to smaller values.

Question 2

K+K Chapter 8, Problem 6.

a) The room at temperature Tl gains heat from outdoors at temperature Th at a rate:

dQl
= A(Th Tl ) (5)
dt

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Homework 10 Solution Physics 404 - Spring 2011

For a refrigerator, the work done to move heat Ql from the low temperature reservoir to the
high temperature reservoir is

Th Tl
W = Qh Ql = Ql (6)
Tl

which is given in Eq(8.12). Hence the rate at which this work is done, namely the power
supplied to the cooling unit is

dW Th Tl dQl
P = = (7)
dt Tl dt

With the above expression Eq(5) substituted in, we get:

Th Tl (Th Tl )2
P = A(Th Tl ) = A (8)
Tl Tl

Solve this for Tl , the temperature of the room:

Tl2 Tl (2Th + P/A) + Th2 = 0 (9)

p
(2Th + P/A) (2Th + P/A)2 4Th2
Tl = (10)
2

We expect Tl < Th , so chooe the - sign

s 2
P P
Tl = Th + Th + Th2 (11)
2A 2A

b) If Th = 37o C and Tl = 17o C with P = 2kW , what is A? From above, we see that

Tl P (290K)(2 103 W )
A= = = 1.45 103 W/K (12)
(Th Tl )2 (20K)2

This is the leak rate of heat into the room from outdoors.

Question 3

K+K Chapter 8, Problem 7. Consider a 100 W light bulb in the refrigerator and Carnot
refrigerator drawing work W = 100W . In this case Ql = 100W . Eq (8.12) states W =
Th Tl
Tl
Ql for a Carnot refrigerator. Hence

Th Tl W 100W
= = =1 (13)
Tl Ql 100W

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Homework 10 Solution Physics 404 - Spring 2011

Hence the refrigerator can keep up up to Tl = Th Tl or Tl = Th /2. If the hot reservoir is

at room temperature, Th 300K, then Tl = 150K. This is very cold!
The more general case: Ql = W . Now we have
Th Tl
W = W (14)
Tl
Tl
= Th Tl (15)

Th
Tl = (16)
1 + 1

For = 1, this is half the room temperature (in Kelvins!), as above. For = 10, this ratio
is 1.1, which is still pretty good for keeping the milk cold.

Question 4

K+K Chapter 8, Problem 10. Irreversible expansion of a Fermi Gas. Expansion into
vacuum means W = 0. Similarly no heat is exchanged with the environment. Hence
dU = dQ + dW = 0, the internal energy of the gas does not change. We know the energy
per particle of a degenerate Fermi gas at zero temperature (Eqs. (7.10) and (7.7)):
2/3
3 h2 3 2 N

3
< >= F = (17)
5 5 2M Vi
For a dilute ideal gas in 3D we also know the mean energy per particle from equipartition
(Eq. (6.32) and page 77):
3
< >= f (18)
2
Equating these two energies and solving for the final temperature to get
2/3
h2 3 2 N

f = (19)
5M Vi
We also have to ensure that the final state of the gas is indeed classical. For large enough
final volume, the gas will be dilute enough for the classical limit to apply. Our condition
for diluteness is n  2nQ where the factor of 2 comes from the spin 1/2. This condition
translates to:
 3/2
N M f
2 (20)
Vf 2h2

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Homework 10 Solution Physics 404 - Spring 2011

Substitution in f from above and solving for the ratio of volumes we get

Vi 6 2
 = 0.34 (21)
Vf (10)3/1

Hence if the final volume is only 3 times bigger than the initial volume, the system is nearly
in the classical dilute gas limit!
a) Using the mass of the electron in eq (19) we get 7788K.
b) Using the mass of the nucleon (1 amu, given on the inside back cover of the text) in
eq (19) we get 9.21 105 K.