A machine employs the isothermal expansion of 1 mol of an ideal gas from 4.50 L to 15.0 L. At 25°C, the machine performs 3.00 kJ of work. What percent of the maximum possible work is the machine producing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The work done during an isothermal expansion of an ideal gas can be calculated using the formula W = nRT ln(V2/V1), where n is the number of moles, R is the gas constant (8.314 J/(mol·K)), T is the temperature in Kelvin, and V1 and V2 are the initial and final volumes, respectively. Given T = 25°C = 298K, V1 = 4.50 L, V2 = 15.0 L, and n = 1 mol, the calculated work should match the given value if the process is ideal. However, without performing the calculation, the option suggests that the stated amount of work is incorrect, implying a misunderstanding or misapplication of the formula or conditions, hence the correct choice is that the amount of work cannot be correct without further context or calculation.

A Machine Employs the Isothermal Expansion of 1 Mol of an Ideal