Name _________________________________________________ Hour _______

THERMODYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/index.html

Read the instructions and then go to the links at the bottom of this page to activate various kinds of experiments that can be done with this applet.

Experimental Instructions

This applet is designed to simulate the diffusion process which occurs when gases of different temperatures are mixed. To activate the mixing click one time on the red vertical bar that separates the two chambers. After a few moments, the bar will turn green and the gases will start to mix and share their energy. The counters in the respective chambers indicate the number of particles in that chamber. The thermometers will start to change temperature as the mixing process is occurring. Eventually both chambers will reach the same temperature.

In order for this simulation to properly run - its important that the user not be doing other activities on the machine as this will interfere with the timing aspects of the experiment.

Different initial conditions are setup in a series of experiments and questions related to that experiment can be found underneath the apparatus.

Exercises for the First Experiment:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1a.html

Start timing with a stopwatch as you "Click" once on the vertical red bar (and WAIT!); observe the mixing of the gases.

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  • How long does it take for the temperature to equilibrate (both chambers have the same Temperature)? ____________________
  • After equilibrium is reached close the chamber door and raise the temperature in the right chamber to 900 degrees. Re-open the chamber to determine what the new equilibrium temperature is. _____________ oC

Exercises for the Second Experiment:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1b.html

  • How many particles are in each chamber initally? __________ and _________
  • What is the temperature difference in the two chambers? _______Co

Start timing with a stopwatch as you "Click" once on the vertical red bar (and WAIT!); observe the mixing of the gases.

  • What do you think the final equilibrium temperature will be? ___________________
  • Will this system take a longer or a shorter time to equilibrate than the previous one? __________

Why? _______________________________________________________________________

Exercises for the Third Experiment:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1c.html

  • How many particles are in each chamber initally? __________ and _________
  • What is the temperature difference in the two chambers? _______Co

Start timing with a stopwatch as you "Click" once on the vertical red bar (and WAIT!); observe the mixing of the gases.

  • What do you think the final equilibrium temperature will be? ____________oC
  • Will this system take a longer or a shorter time to equilibrate than experiment 2 which had the same temperature difference as this one. ____________ Why? ________________

Exercises for the Fourth Experiment:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1d.html

  • How many particles are in each chamber initally? __________ and _________

Start timing with a stopwatch as you "Click" once on the vertical red bar (and WAIT!); observe the mixing of the gases.

  • What do you think the final equilibrium temperature will be? ______________oC
  • Will this system reach equilibrium faster or slower than it took in the First experiment with the same temperature difference? __________________________
  • Compare the rate of temperature change on the left and right sides? ___________________is faster.

Why are they so different? ____________________________________________________________

  • Refresh this Experiment and time how long it takes for about 125 particles to exist in each chamber and note the temperature difference the first time this occurs. ________________seconds, ____________Co

Exercises for the Fifth Experiment:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1da.html

  • How many particles are in each chamber initally? __________ and _________
  • What do you think the final equilibrium temperature will be? ________________
  • This system is the reverse of what you did in the Fourth experiment. Again, note when there are about 125 particles in each chamber and what the temperature difference is at that time.

______________ seconds, ______________Co

  • Why is this behavior different than you observed in the Fourth experiment? ________________________


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Exercises for the Sixth Experiment:
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1e.html

  • How many particles are in each chamber initally? __________ and _________

Click once on the vertical red bar (and WAIT!); observe the mixing of the gases

  • What do you think will happen to the temperature in the right chamber? __________________________
  • What do you think will happen to the two particles in the left chamber? ___________________________
  • How long will it take the left chamber to have a temperature that is within 10 percent of the right chamber?

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Exercises for the Seventh Experiment:

http://jersey.uoregon.edu/vlab/Thermodynamics/therm1f.html

You should "refresh" Netscape/Internet Explorer for this Simple Experiment - its a game to subvert the laws of physics - try to get all the particles on one side or the other and then close the chambers. Initially try to do this without adding energy to the system. If this fails, do the following: You may adjust the temperatures of the chambers by grabbing the thermometer with the pointer and moving it. Can you figure out the scheme to get all the particles to one side, It is possible ...
Describe the scheme(s) that you used to accomplish this task?