AP Physics 2

Unit 1 Practice Exercises

1.1 – Kinetic Theory

1. A student claims. “If the temperature of a gas is uniform then all the gas particles have the same speed.”
What is wrong with their statement? Give a correct counter-statement.

2. Containers A, B, and C are filled with samples of the same monatomic ideal gas and then sealed. The
containers are then brought to different temperatures. The figure below shows the distributions of the speeds of
the gas atoms inside the three different containers.

Rank the temperatures of the gas atoms.

3. The average speed of the atoms of a gas at 100 K is 200 m/s. What would most nearly be the average speed
of the atoms at 300 K?

4. Gas A and Gas B are both at the same temperature. A mole of Gas A is five times as massive as a molecule
of Gas B. If Gas A molecules move at an rms speed of 50 m/s, what is the rms speed of molecules of Gas B?

5. Cylindrical containers A, B, and C hold samples of the same

monatomic ideal gas. The gas pressure is the same in all three
containers. The areas of the tops of the containers and the temperature
of the gas in the containers is indicated.

Rank the force on the tops of the containers.

6. An ideal gas is contained in a cylindrical container with a cross-sectional area of 𝐴 = 10!" 𝑚# as shown.

Molecules with a mass of 𝑚 = 10!$ collide with the left side of the container travelling vertically as shown.
%
The molecules have an average speed of 𝑣 = 500 & towards and rebound at the same speed. In one
second, 106 molecules collide with the side of the container. Calculate the pressure of the container. If the
(
piston has a mass of 1.0 kg atmospheric pressure is 10' %! , calculate the acceleration of the piston. **
1.2 – Thermal Energy Transfer
1. In a mixture of gases, a carbon atom of mass 12m is moving to the right with speed v when it collides with
and sticks to an oxygen atom of mass 16m moving to the right with speed v/2 . What is the final speed of the
resulting molecule?

2. A gas contains two types of particles. Particle A has mass m and velocity 𝑣) in the +z-direction. It collides
head-on with particle B that has mass 5m and velocity 2𝑣) in the −z-direction. Electrostatic force then holds the
particles together. What is the final velocity of the two-particle system?

3. A particle with a mass of 16M is traveling west with a speed of v when it collides with another particle with a
mass of 10M traveling east with a speed of 2v. After the collision, the larger particle travels to the east with a
speed of v. Determine the velocity (magnitude and direction) of the other molecules after this collision.

1.3 – Ideal Gas Law

1. Match each description with a graph.

a) Pressure vs. temperature for a gas in a sealed container with constant volume.
b) Volume vs. temperature for a gas in a sealed container fitted with a movable piston on the top (constant
pressure)
c) Pressure vs. volume for a gas in a sealed container (temperature constant)

2. Cylinders with equal cross-sectional areas contain different volumes of an ideal gas sealed in by pistons.
There is a weight sitting on top of each piston. The gas is the same in all four cases and is at the same
temperature. The pistons are free to move without friction. Rank the mass of gas in each cylinder.

a) Rank the pressure in the cylinders.

b) Rank the mass of the gas in each cylinder.

3. Five points representing five different states of one mole of an ideal gas are labeled on the pressure–volume
graph below. Rank the temperatures of the gases.

4. An inflated balloon is submerged in a deep lake and forced to descend farther below the surface of the water.
As the balloon descends, the gas in the balloon maintains the same temperature. What happens to the pressure
of the gas inside the balloon as its depth increases?

5. Samples A and B of different ideal gases are in separate containers with the same volume. Both gasses have
the same pressure, but Sample A is at a greater temperature than Sample B. Which Sample has more gas
molecules? How do you know?

6. The graph below shows a pressure vs. volume diagram in which the volume of the gas increases while the
pressure is constant. In order to accomplish this, is heat added to the gas or removed from the gas. How do you
know?

7. The internal volume of a gas cylinder is 4.50´10-2 m3. The cylinder head has a diameter of 1.25 cm. An ideal
gas is pumped into the cylinder until the pressure becomes 650. kPa. The temperature of the gas is 19.5 °C.
a) What force does the gas exert on the cylinder head?
b) Determine how many moles of the gas are there in the cylinder.
8. An ideal gas initially at pressure P_0 and temperature T_0 is sealed inside a container of volume V_0. The
gas undergoes a thermodynamic process, after which of the gas is 3/2 T_0 and the volume is 1/2 V_0. What is
the pressure of the gas after the thermodynamic pressure in terms of P_0?

9. An ideal gas is in a cylindrical container with a piston that can move with negligible friction. The container is
placed in hot water that is kept at constant temperature. As the gas reaches thermal equilibrium with the water,
the root-mean square speed of the gas atoms double while the gas pressure remains constant. If the initial
volume of the gas is V_0, what is the final pressure of the gas in terms of V_0?

10. An idea gas with initial pressure P and temperature T is placed inside a flexible, spherical balloon of radius
R. The gas slowly expands at constant temperature until it has a final radius of 3R. What if the final pressure of
the gas in terms of P?

11. The figure shows a 0.2 m diameter cylinder fitted with a frictionless piston, initially fixed in place. The
cylinder contains 2.0 moles of nitrogen gas at an absolute pressure of 4.0x105 Pa. Nitrogen gas has a molar
mass of 28 g/mol and it behaves as an ideal gas.

a) Calculate the force that the nitrogen gas exerts on the piston.
b) Calculate the volume of the gas if the temperature of the gas is 300 K.

1.4 – 1st Law of Thermodynamics

1. Consider the two processes shown on the right. Both process are done on an ideal gas with the same initial
temperature.

a) Which process has a greater final temperature?

b) In which process is more work done?
c) In which process is more heat exchanged with the surroundings?

2. Five points representing five different states of one mole of an ideal gas are labeled on the pressure–volume
graph below. Rank the temperature in the labeled states.
3. In the process shown below, is heat added to or removed from the gas? Justify your answer.

4. A cylindrical container is fitted with a piston that is initially locked in place. The cylinder contains a fixed
amount of an ideal gas that is initially at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
a) The cylinder is placed in a hot-water bath. Sketch a graph of pressure versus temperature for the
process the gas undergoes as a result, and indicate the direction of the process on the graph.
b) When the system is again at equilibrium, the piston is pushed down very slowly. Sketch a graph of
pressure versus volume for the process the gas undergoes as a result, and indicate the direction of the
process on the graph. Label this process “C.”
c) Now the piston is pulled up quickly, so no heat is added to or removed from the gas during the
process. Sketch a graph of pressure versus volume for the process the gas undergoes as a result, and
indicate the direction of the process on the graph. Label this process “D.”

5. A gas follows the PV diagram shown.

Find the work done on the gas along the paths:

a) AB
b) BC
c) CD
d) DA
e) ABCDA

6. An ideal monatomic gas goes through an isobaric thermodynamic process from state X to state Y, as shown
in the diagram. In terms of P) and V) , write an expression for the energy transferred to the gas during the
process?
7. A sample of ideal gas is taken through steps I, II and III in a closed cycle, as shown on the PV diagram, so
that the gas returns to its original state. The steps in the cycle are:
I: An isothermal expansion
II: An isobaric compression
III: Constant volume addition of heat

a) Determine numerical values for the following ratios:

i. P* /P+ ii. P, /P+
iii. T* /T+ iv. T, /T+
b) During step I, the change in internal energy is zero. Why?
c) During step III, the work done on the gas is zero. Why?

8. A 0.004 mol sample of a monatomic gas is taken through the

cycle shown. The temperature T1 of state 1 is 300 K. *note the units
on axes

a) Calculate the amount of work done on the gas in one cycle.

b) Is the net work done on the gas in one complete cycle positive,
negative, or zero?
c) Calculate the heat added to the gas during process 1−> 2.

9. The PV diagram given represents a process undergone by water vapor. The molar mass of water is 18 g, and
the water vapor can be treated as an ideal gas.

a) Does the internal energy of the water vapor for the process A→B→C increase, decrease, or remain
the same?
b) Calculate the work done on the water vapor for the process A→B→C
10. Two moles of a monatomic ideal gas are enclosed in a cylinder by a movable piston. The gas is taken
through the cycle shown. The piston has a cross-section are of .005 m2.

a) Calculate the force that the gas exerts on the piston in state A, and explain how the collisions of the
gas atoms with the piston allow the gas to exert a force on the piston.
b) Calculate the temperature of the gas in state B, and indicate the microscopic property of the gas that is
characterized by the temperature.
c) Predict qualitatively how the internal energy of the gas changes as it is taken from state A to state B.
d) Calculate the energy added to the gas by heating as it is taken from state A to state C along ABC.

1.5 – 2nd Law of Thermodynamics

1. In each case, decide if the entropy of the system increases, decreases or remains the same.
a) A deck of cards is shuffled.
b) A student cleans up his room.
c) A car coasts to a stop on a road.
d) A hot pizza cools to room temperature
e) The pieces of a jigsaw puzzle are put together.

2. A quantity of ice at -10 °C is dropped into water. All the ice eventually melts and the final temperature of the
water is +15 °C. Describe and compare the entropy changes taking place in the ice and in the water during the
following processes. (Assume that there are no energy exchanges between the ice–water system and the
surroundings.)
a) The temperature of the ice increases from -10 °C to 0 °C.
b) The ice is melting.
c) All the ice has melted and the water is approaching its final temperature of +15 °C.

3. The first law of thermodynamics says we can’t get more out of a process than we put in, but the second law
says that we can’t break even. Explain this statement.

4. Three samples with initial temperatures TA > TB > Tc are placed in thermal
contact, as shown. The samples eventually reach thermal equilibrium at a final
temperature of T, where T > TB.
a) How does the average kinetic energy of the molecules in A change?
b) How does the average kinetic energy of the molecules in C change?
c) Indicate where the net entropy of sample A increases, decreases, or remains the same. Justify your
answer.
d) Indicate where the net entropy the 3 sample system increases, decreases, or remains the same. Justify
your answer.
1.6 – Specific Heat & Conductivity
1. A 6.00 kg iron block slides on the floor at 10.0 m/s. Suppose all the initial mechanical energy of the block is
converted into heat that raises the temperature of the block. If the initial temperature of the block is 25.0°C, then
what is the temperature just after it comes to rest? (specific heat of iron = 450 J/kg°C)
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2. A 0.85 kg steel sphere initially has a temperature of 700 K. The specific heat of steel is c = 490 ./0. The
sphere is submerged in a container that holds 4.0 kg of water initially at a temperature of 300 K. The specific
-
heat of water is c1 = 4180 ./0 .
a) What is the final temperature of the water and sphere after they reach equilibrium?
b) Does the overall entropy of the sphere/water system increase or decrease after the sphere has cooled down?

3. The thermal energy to bring a volume V of water from room temperature to its boiling point is Q. How much
energy would be required to bring a volume 2V of water from room temperature to its boiling point? Express
your answer in terms of Q.

4. In an experiment, a student finds that 10 kJ of thermal energy is needed to raise the temperature of 5 kg of a
substance from 21 Celsius to 37 Celsius. How much thermal energy would be required to change the
temperature of 15 kg of the substance from 40 degrees Celsius to 44 degrees Celsius?

5. A glass windowpane in a home is 0.62 cm thick and has dimensions of 1.0 m 3 2.0 m. On a certain day, the
indoor temperature is 25°C and the outdoor temperature is 0°C. (for glass, k = 0.8)
a) What is the rate at which energy is transferred by heat through the glass?
b) How much energy is lost through the window in one day, assuming the temperatures inside and outside
remain constant?

6. A cylindrical metal rod of length 1.3 and diameter 0.45 m connects a hot reservoir to a cold reservoir, as
shown. The rod has a thermal conductivity 400 W/mK and a specific heat of 720 J/kgK. The hot reservoir is
held at a constant temperature of 200 K and the cold reservoir is held at a constant temperature of 50 K.

What is the time required for 15 kJ of thermal energy to transfer from the hot reservoir to the cold reservoir?