MET 202: ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

MODULE 1
SHORT ANSWER TYPE (3 MARKS)

1. Describe about intensive and extensive thermodynamic properties

with suitable examples

2. Define Thermodynamic Equilibrium

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

3. What do you mean by macroscopic and microscopic approaches in
thermodynamics?

4. What do you mean by ideal gas temperature scale

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

 5. Distinguish between thermodynamic system and control volume

6. Describe quasi static process undergone by a system with the help of

neat sketches including the pv diagram.

LONG ANSWER TYPE (7 MARKS)

1. Define the following terms associated with a thermodynamic system:
i. Properties : Any measurable or observable characteristic of a system
Eg; Mass, Density etc
ii. State: Condition of existence of a system described in terms of
properties
Eg: A state 1 is specified for water at 1 atm pressure and 283K

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

 iii. Path: A series of states through which a system traverses from one state
to another can be joined in a thermodynamic coordinate system to form
path of a process

iv. Process : Any activity which changes the state of a system

Eg: Constant pressure process
v. Cycle: A process/ group of processes where the initial and final state of
the system are the same is called a cycle. Many Engineering devices like
steam turbines, refrigerator work on cyclic process
vi. Intensive property (give at least one example) : Repeat
vii. Extensive property (give at least one example): Repeat
2. What was the temperature measurement method used before 1954?
Derive the equation used for temperature measurement in this method
An easily reproducible state of an arbitrarily chosen standard system is
called a fixed point. Before 1954, there were two fixed points: (a) the ice
point, the temperature at which pure ice coexisted in equilibrium with air-
saturated water at one atmosphere pressure, and (b) the steam point, the
temperature of equilibrium between pure water and pure steam at one
atmosphere pressure. The temperature interval, ș (X1) - , ș(X2), between
these two fixed points was chosen to be 100 degrees.

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

3. (i) What do you mean by thermodynamic equilibrium of a system?
What are the conditions required for a system to exist in
thermodynamic equilibrium? Explain.
A system will be in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, if the conditions
for the following three types of equilibrium are satisfied:
(a) Mechanical equilibrium
(b) Chemical equilibrium
(c) Thermal equilibrium
In the absence of any unbalanced force within the system itself and also
between the system and the surroundings, the system is said to be in a state
of mechanical equilibrium. If an unbalanced force exists, either the system
alone or both the system and the surroundings will undergo a change of
state till mechanical equilibrium is attained.
If there is no chemical reaction or transfer of matter from one part of the
system to another, such as diffusion or solution, the system is said to exist
in a state of chemical equilibrium.
When a system existing in mechanical and chemical equilibrium is
separated from its surroundings by a diathermic wall (diathermic means
'which allows heat to flow') and if there is no spontaneous change in any
property of the system, the system is said to exist in a state of thermal
equilibrium. When this is not satisfied, the system will undergo a change
of state till thermal equilibrium is restored.
When the conditions for any one of the three types of equilibrium are not
satisfied, a system is said to be in a nonequilibrium state.
(ii) Consider a system whose temperature is 18°C. Express this
temperature in R, K, and °F.
Use this to convert C=18 to R,K and F
F-32/ (212-32) = C-0/(100-0)= K-273/(373-273)= R-492/(672-492)
Ans: 64.4 F, 291K, 524.4 R

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

4. (i) The temperature t on a thermometric scale is defined in terms of a
property K by the relation
t = a ln K + b
where a and b are constants. The values of K are found to be 1.83 and
6.78 at the ice point and the steam point, the temperatures of which
are assigned the numbers 0 and 100 respectively. Determine the
temperature corresponding to a reading of K equal to 2.42 on the
thermometer.

ii) What is the working principle of a constant volume gas

thermometer? Explain with neat sketches

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

5. Explain quasi static process with suitable sketches.

Consider a gas in a piston-cylinder device shown in figure and weight W

is suddenly removed. Because of sudden drop in pressure the system can

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

 no longer be said to be in equilibrium, and this makes the entire process
non-quasi-equilibrium. We cannot accurately represent such a sudden
process in a P-V diagram. However, if the W is divided into large number
of elemental small weights and each removed slowly one after the other,
the molecules will have sufficient time to redistribute and then pressure
and volume changes will be extremely slow. The properties can be easily
measured. Since equilibrium is maintained at all times, this is a quasi-static
process.

6. Describe about (i) system and control volume (ii) properties, state,
path and process with respect to thermodynamics.
Repeat
7. Explain different types of temperature scales.
Temperature scales provide a common basis for temperature
measurements. All temperature scales are based on some easily
reproducible states, such as the freezing and boiling points of water, also
known as the ice point and the steam point.
The temperature scales in the SI and English system of units, respectively,
are the Celsius and the Fahrenheit scale. On the Celsius scale, the ice and
steam points are assigned the values 0°C and 100°C, respectively. The
corresponding values on the Fahrenheit scale are 32°F and 212°F.
A more useful temperature scale in thermodynamics is the absolute
temperature scale. As the name implies, there are no negative
temperatures on the absolute temperature scale, and the lowest attainable
temperature is absolute zero. The absolute temperature scale in the SI
system is the Kelvin scale
In the English system, the absolute temperature scale is the Rankine scale
It is related to Fahrenheit scale by T(R) = T(°F) + 459.67

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

8. A new absolute temperature scale is proposed. On this scale the ice
point of water is 150oS and the steam point is 300oS. Determine the
temperature in oC that corresponds to 100oS and 400oS respectively.
What is the ratio of the size of the oS to the Kelvin? At what
temperature both the Celsius and the new temperature scale reading
would be the same?

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

 When both scales are same take
x-0/ (100-0) = x-150/ (300-150)
x= -300 oC

9. Differentiate between Macroscopic and Microscopic approach in

thermodynamics (any 6 points)

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

10. Explain the classification of thermometers

1.Expansion thermometers use the principle of the differential expansion

of two different substances. A typical example is the liquid-in-glass
thermometer. The principle employed in this is the difference in expansion
of liquid and the containing glass. There is another type called bimetallic
thermometer. Principle employed is the difference in expansion of the two
solids.
2. Electrical based: )RUKLJKHUUDQJHRIWHPSHUD
liquid or gas filled thermometers are not suitable. For such high
temperatures, thermoelectric thermometer (thermocouple) and pyrometers
are used. Thermoelectric thermometer works on the principle based on the
thermoelectric effect, namely Seebeck effect.
3. Gas thermometer: There are two main types of gas thermometer, one
operating at constant volume and the other at constant pressure. The
constant-volume gas thermometer is by far the more widely used and so
we will deal with it alone.
4. Pyrometer. A pyrometer is a non-contacting device that intercepts and
measures thermal radiation. This process is known as pyrometry.
Pyrometer was originally coined to denote a device capable of measuring
temperatures of objects above incandescence (i.e. objects too bright to the
human eye). Basically, two types of non-contact pyrometers are available.
radiation pyrometers optical pyrometers
PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN
11. Define a thermodynamic system. Differentiate various types of
thermodynamic systems with suitable example
A thermodynamic system or simply a system is a fixed region in space, or
a definite quantity of matter on which study is focussed. The system
boundary is an envelope or surface, which surrounds the system and
separates the system and surroundings. Thermodynamic systems are
interacting with their surroundings, which involve the transfer or exchange
of goods (mass or energy) across the system boundary. Hence, the
surroundings are defined as everything external to the system, i.e.
everything away from the boundary. Thermodynamic systems can be
classified into three classes, namely, the closed system, open system and
isolated system.

Closed System
A closed system is one through which no mass crosses the boundary of the
system (fixed quantity of matter). Only energy transfer can take place.
Hence, in a closed system, mass does not cross the system boundary, even
though energy (heat or work) may cross.
Open System
An open system is one in which mass as well as energy cross the boundary
of the system. Many devices like nozzles, pumps, turbines are open
systems. An open system of fixed volume is called a control volume
Isolated System
An isolated system is one in which neither mass nor energy crosses its
boundary. This is purely a theoretical one. Very few real life applications
qualify as an isolated system. But this concept is useful in the study and
analysis of thermodynamic principles and laws.

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

12. Explain the working of a constant volume gas thermometer and the
establishment of the ideal gas temperature scale.
Refer to question no 4 (ii) for 1st part
A temperature scale that turns out to be nearly identical to the Kelvin scale
is the ideal-gas temperature scale. The temperatures on this scale are
measured using a constant-volume gas. This thermometer is based on the
principle that at low pressures, the temperature of a gas is proportional to
its pressure at constant volume or

where the values of the constants a and b for a gas thermometer are
determined experimentally.
An ideal-gas temperature scale can be developed by measuring the
pressures of the gas in the vessel at two reproducible points (such as the ice
and the steam points) and assigning suitable values to temperatures at those
two points. If the ice and steam points are assigned the values 0°C and
100°C, respectively, then the gas temperature scale will be identical to the
Celsius scale. In this case the value of the constant a (which corresponds
to an absolute pressure of zero) is determined to be -273.15°C regardless
of the type and the amount of the gas in the vessel of the gas thermometer.
That is, on a P-T diagram, all the straight lines passing through the data
points in this case will intersect the temperature axis at -273.15°C when
extrapolated, as shown in Fig.. This is the lowest temperature that can be
obtained by a gas thermometer, and thus we can obtain an absolute gas
temperature scale by assigning a value of zero to the constant a in Eqn. In
that case, Eq. 1± 8 reduces to T = bP, and thus we need to specify the
temperature at only one point to define an absolute gas temperature scale

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

 MODULE 2
SHORT ANSWER TYPE (3 MARKS)
1. Define first law of thermodynamics and What do you mean by
³3HUSHWXDO motion machine of first kind-300´"
1st law of thermodynamics or the law of conservation of energy states that
energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. Although, it may be
transformed from one form to another. In a closed system, i.e., a system
that is isolated from its surroundings, the total energy of the system is
conserved.

2. What is displacement work? Under what conditions is the work done

equal to
The work done by a system due to displacement of it¶
s boundary is called
displacement work
Conditions: System should be a closed system undergoing a non flow
process, Process should be Quasi static

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN

3. Derive the equation for pdv work in a polytropic expansion process

4. State and explain the first law of thermodynamics for a closed system
undergoing a cyclic process with the help of neat sketches

PREPARED BY EMLIN V, ASST. PROF. (ME), TIST COCHIN