[Physics] Container divided in two parts with ideal gas

homework-and-exercisesthermodynamics

I wanted to ask your help with the following problem:

Consider a closed container, that is, with insulated walls impervious, and rigid. The container is divided into two parts by a wall having the same properties. Each part contains a portion of the same ideal gas. initially on the left has a volume $V_{1}$, $N_{1}$ atoms and a temperature $T_{1}$. On the right is $V_{2}$, $N_{2}$ and $T_{2}$.

The wall that separates the gas loses its rigidity property, but still is insulated and waterproof. Suppose that $T_{1}\neq T_{2}$, $V_{1}\neq V_{2}$ and $N_1 \neq N_2$, initially. Find the final thermodynamic state.

I understand that by thermodynamic end state refers to temperatures, volumes, entropies, number of atoms, change energy, work and heat.

However, I could not get the volumes as a function of baseline variables and neither obtaining the entropies.

Best Answer

$pV = NR_mT$ gas equation

$pv=R_mT/M=p/\rho$ gas equation using specific volume

$pv^n=const$ polytropic

$M$ is the molar mass and $R_m$ the universal gas constant

$n=\kappa=c_p/c_v$ for the isentropic case (loss of rigidity is assumed to mean frictionless here). We know that the change in volume for both volumes as well as the pressure after the change of state must be the same. If we lable the variables after the change of state with a prime, we can write the following equations:

$v_1'=v_1(p_1/p_1')^{1/\kappa}$

$v_2'=v_2(p_2/p_2')^{1/\kappa}$

$v_1'-v_1=v_2-v_2'$

$v_1'-v_1=R_m/M(T_1'/p_1'-T_1/p_1)$

$v_2'-v_2=R_m/M(T_2'/p_2'-T_2/p_2)$

$p_2'=p_1'$

That's 6 equations for 6 primed unknowns.