ME 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Prepared By
ASIF KABIR
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
LECTURE 2: PROPERTIES OF PERFECT GAS
Perfect Gas

Perfect Gas: A perfect gas (or an ideal gas) may be defined as a state of a substance, whose
evaporation from its liquid state is complete, and strictly obeys all the gas laws under all conditions of
temperature and pressure.

If evaporation is partial the substance is called vapor. A vapor therefore contains some particles of
liquid in suspension.
A vapor becomes dry when it is completely evaporated. If the dry vapor is further heated. the process
is called superheating and the vapor is called superheated vapor.
The behavior of superheated vapor is similar to that of a perfect gas.
Variables of perfect Gas
The physical properties of a gas are controlled by the following three variables
1. Pressure exerted by the gas (P),
2. Volume occupied by the gas (V), and
3. Temperature of the gas (T).

The behavior of a perfect gas, undergoing any change in the above mentioned variables, is
governed by the following laws which have been established from experimental results.
1. Boyle's law,
2. Charles' law, and
3. Gay-Lussac law.
Boyles Law
 This law was formulated by Robert Boyle in 1662. It states, “the absolute pressure of a given
mass of a perfect gas varies inversely as its volume, when the temperature remains constant.

Mathematically,
P∝
or PV = Constant
The more useful form of the above equation is
P1V1 = P2V2 = P3V3 = ..... = Constant
Charles’ Law
 
This law was formulated by a Frenchman Jacques A.C. Charles in about 1787. It may be stated
in the following two different forms:

(1) The volume of a given mass of a perfect gas varies directly as its absolute temperature, when
the pressure remains constant. Mathematically,
V∝T or = Constant
……………= Constant
.
Charles’ Law
  All perfect gases change in volume by of its original volume at 0°celsius for every 1° celsius
(2)
change in tempreture, when the pressure remains constant.
Let vo = Volume of a given mass of gas at 0° C, and
vt = Volume of the same mass of gas at t° C.
Then, according to the above statement,
vt = v0+ v0t = v0() = v0

where T = Absolute temperature corresponding t0 ° C.

T0 = Absolute temperature corresponding to 0°C.
Charles’ Law
 

A little consideration will show, that the volume of a gas goes on decreasing by 1/273th of its
original volume for every 1°C decrease in temperature. It is thus obvious, that at a temperature
of -273 C, the volume of the gas would become zero. The temperature at which the volume of a
gas becomes, zero is called absolute zero temperature.

vt = v0+ v0t
= v0+ v0 ( - 273) = v0 - v0 = 0
Gay-Lussac Law
 
This law states. “The absolute pressure of a given mass of a perfect gas varies directly as its
absolute temperature when the volume remains constant”. Mathematically
P∝T
or = constant
or =………………….=constant
Universal Gas Constant (Ru)
The universal gas Constant or molar Constant (generally denoted by Ru) of a gas is the product
of the gas constant and the molecular mass of the gas. Mathematically,
Ru = MR
where M = Molecular mass of the gas expressed in kgmole, and
R = Gas constant.
1. The value of R is same for all gases.
2. In SI units, the value of R is taken as 8314 J/kg-mol K or 8.314 kJ/kg-mol K.
General Gas Equation
 According to Boyle's law
P∝ or V ∝ . (Keeping T constant)
and according to Charles' law
V∝T. (Keeping p constant)
It is thus obvious that
V ∝ and T both or V∝
so we can say PV ∝ T or PV=CT
where C is a constant, whose value depends upon the mass and properties of the gas
concerned.
Cont.
 .
The more useful form of the general gas equation is

constant

Question : A gas occupies a volume of 0.1 m3 at a temperature of 20° C and a pressure

of 1.5 bar. Find the final temperature of the gas, if it is compressed to a pressure of 7.5 bar and
occupies a volume of 0.04 m3.
Joules Law
It states, "The change of internal energy of a perfect gas is directly proportional to the change
of temperature." Mathematically
dE ∝ dT or dE = mc dT = mc(T2—T1)
where in m = Mass of the gas, and
c = A constant of proportionality, known as specific heat.
Characteristic Equation of Gas
Thus the general gas equation may be rewritten as -
Pvs = RT
where R is known as characteristic gas constant or simply gas constant.
For any mass m kg of a gas, the characteristic gas equation becomes:
mPvs= mRT
or Pv = mRT
The value of gas constant (R) is different for different gases. In S.I. units, its value for atmospheric
air is taken 287 J/kg K or 0.287 kJ/kg K.
Specific Heat
The specific heat of a substance maybe broadly defined as the amount of heat required to raise
the temperature of its unit mass through one degree.

The following two types of specific heats of a gas are important from the subject point of view:
1. Specific heat at constant volume (Cv), and
2. Specific heat at constant pressure (Cp) .
Enthalpy
In thermodynamics, one of the basic quantities most frequently recurring is the sum of the
internal energy U and the product of pressure and volume (Pv). This sum (U +P v) is termed as
enthalpy and is written as H. Mathematically,
Enthalpy, H = U + Pv
Since (U + p v) is made up entirely of properties, therefore enthalpy (H) is also a property.
For a unit mass, specific enthalpy,
h = u + Pvs
where u = Specific internal energy, and
vs = Specific volume.
Cont.
We know that Q1-2 = dU+ W = dU + Pdv
When gas is heated at constant pressure from an initial condition 1 to a final condition 2, then change in
internal energy.
dU = U2 — U1
and work done by the gas,
W1-2= Pdv = P(v2—v1)
Q1-2 = ( U2 – U1) + P(V2 - v1)
= (U2 +Pv2) - (U1 +Pv1) = H2 - H1,
and for a unit mass, q 1_2 = h2 – h1
Thus, for a constant pressure process, the heat supplied to the gas is equal to the change of enthalpy.
Relation between Specific Heats
Consider a gas enclosed in a container and being heated, at a constant pressure, from the initial state 1 to the final
state 2.
Let m = Mass of the gas,
T 1= Initial temperature of the gas,
T2 = Final temperature of the gas,
v1= Initial volume of the gas,
v2= Final volume of the gas,
Cp = Specific heat at constant pressure,
Cv= Specific heat at constant volume, and
P= Constant pressure.
Cont.
We know that the heat supplied to the gas at constant pressure,
Q1-2= m Cp (T2—T1)
As already discussed, a part of this heat is utilized in doing the external work, and the rest
remains within the gas, and is used in increasing the internal energy of the gas.
Heat utilized for external work,
W1-2 = P( v2 — v1 ) . . .(i)
and increase in internal energy, dU = mCv (T2 - T1 ) . . . (ií)
We know that Q1-2= W1-2 + dU . . . (iii)
mCp(T2—T1) = mCv (T2 - T1 ) + P(v2 —v1 ) ……. (iv)
Cont.
Using characteristic gas equation (i.e. Pv = mRT), we have
Pv1 = mRT1 .. .(for initial conditions)
and Pv2 = mRT2 . . . (for final conditions)
P (v2 — v1) = mR (T2 — T1)
Now substituting the value of P (v2-v1) in equation (iv),
m Cp(T2 — T1) = mCv (T2 - T1 ) + mR(T2—T1)
Cp = C v + R or Cp - Cv = R
Ratio of Specific Heat

The ratio of two specific heats (i.e. Cp / Cv ) of a gas is an important constant in the field of
Thermodynamics and is represented by a Greek letter gamma (γ). It is also known as adiabatic
index.

Since Cp is always greater than Cv , the value of γ is always greater than unity.

Question: Why Cp is always greater than Cv

Thank you