Question

On a PV diagram use one or more of the following processes, an isobaric process, an isochoric process, and/or an isothermal process to construct a closed cycle, indicating for each process the starting and ending points, and the direction of execution. For the cycle that you've drawn, determine whether work is being done ON or BY the system. Justify your answer.

Answer 1

1) First process is Isobaric expansion (If the volume expands (delta V = final volume - initial volume > 0), then W > 0. That is, during isobaric expansion the gas does positive work, or equivalently, the environment does negative work. Restated, the gas does positive work on the environment.)

2) Second process is isothermal expansion(To expand the volume of the gas, the work will be done by the gas )

3) Third process is Isobaric compression (If the volume compresses (delta V = final volume - initial volume < 0), then W < 0. That is, during isobaric compression the gas does negative work, or the environment does positive work. Restated, the environment does positive work on the gas)

4) Forth process is isochoric ( positive work is performed by the system on the environment.)