Department of Physics, Malda College
CLASS ASSIGNMENT
Course: Thermal Physics (MN301)
Date: 10 December, 2025
SUBMIT BY 2:30 PM, 10 December, 2025
1. What are extensive and intensive variables? Explain with examples.
Answer:
Extensive variables:
An extensive variable depends on the size (amount) of the system. If two identical systems are combined,
an extensive quantity doubles. Examples: internal energy (U), volume (V), mass (m), entropy (S),
and number of moles (n).
Intensive variables:
An intensive variable does NOT depend on the system size; it is the same for subsystems at equilibrium.
Examples: temperature (T), pressure (p), density (ρ), and specific heat (per unit mass).
Example to illustrate:
Consider two identical blocks of gas (each volume V, internal energy U) separated by a partition.
If the partition is removed and the gases mix without heat exchange, total volume = 2V and total internal
energy = 2U (both extensive), while temperature T and pressure p remain the same (intensive).
2. Starting from the first law of thermodynamics, prove that Cp - Cv = R for an ideal gas.
Answer:
First law (for a quasi-static process): dQ = dU + p dV,
where dQ is heat added, dU is change in internal energy and p dV is work done by the system.
Definitions of heat capacities:
Cv = (∂U/∂T)_V (heat capacity at constant volume),
Cp = (∂H/∂T)_p (heat capacity at constant pressure), where enthalpy H = U + pV.
At constant pressure, an infinitesimal heat dQ_p = dH = dU + d(pV). For constant p, d(pV) = p dV,
so dQ_p = dU + p dV. Therefore Cp = (dQ_p/dT)_p = (∂U/∂T)_p + p (∂V/∂T)_p.
For an ideal gas, internal energy U depends only on temperature, so (∂U/∂T)_p = (∂U/∂T)_V = Cv.
Hence:
Cp - Cv = p (∂V/∂T)_p.
Using the ideal gas equation pV = RT (per mole), at constant pressure:
V = R T / p ⇒ (∂V/∂T)_p = R/p.
Thus:
Cp - Cv = p (R/p) = R.
So for an ideal gas, Cp - Cv = R (the gas constant).
3. Show that for an adiabatic transformation of an ideal gas,
T·V^{γ-1} = constant
Answer:
For an adiabatic process, dQ = 0. From the first law: 0 = dU + p dV ⇒ dU = -p dV.
For an ideal gas, dU = Cv dT (per mole). Therefore:
Cv dT = -p dV.
Using ideal gas p = RT/V, substitute:
Cv dT = - (R T / V) dV.
Rearrange to separate variables:
(dT / T) = - (R / Cv) (dV / V).
But γ (gamma) is defined as γ = Cp / Cv, and Cp - Cv = R ⇒ R / Cv = (Cp - Cv)/Cv = γ - 1.
So:
dT / T = - (γ - 1) dV / V.
Integrate both sides:
∫ dT/T = - (γ - 1) ∫ dV / V ⇒ ln T = - (γ - 1) ln V + const.
Exponentiate:
T = const × V^{-(γ - 1)},
or equivalently
T · V^{γ - 1} = constant.
This completes the proof.
4. Justify the statement that adiabats are steeper than isotherms.
Answer:
Compare slopes (dp/dV) on a p–V diagram:
Isotherm (T = constant): p = R T / V ⇒ dp/dV |_T = - R T / V^2 = - p / V.
Adiabatic (PV^γ = constant): p = K V^{-γ} ⇒ dp/dV |_S = -γ K V^{-γ-1} = -γ p / V.
Compare magnitudes of slopes:
|(dp/dV)_adiabat| / |(dp/dV)_isotherm| = (γ p / V) / (p / V) = γ.
Since γ = Cp/Cv > 1 for any real ideal gas (for diatomic γ ≈ 1.4, for monoatomic γ ≈ 1.67),
we have |(dp/dV)_adiabat| > |(dp/dV)_isotherm|. That is, the adiabat falls faster (is steeper) than the
isotherm at the same point on the p–V diagram.
Physical explanation:
During an adiabatic compression the work done increases the internal energy and therefore temperature,
raising pressure more strongly than in an isothermal process where heat flows out to keep temperature consta
Hence adiabats are steeper than isotherms.
Prepared for: Thermal Physics (MN301) — Malda College. (Answers per mole unless stated.)