Find the specific heat (Cp and Cv) pg a polyatomic gas in terms of deg...
Specific Heat of Polyatomic Gas
Degree of Freedom
Degree of freedom is the number of independent ways in which a molecule can move. For a polyatomic gas, the degree of freedom is given by:
f = 3N - 6
where N is the number of atoms in the molecule.
Specific Heat
The specific heat of a gas is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one mole of the gas by one degree Celsius. The specific heat at constant pressure (Cp) and specific heat at constant volume (Cv) for a polyatomic gas can be calculated using the following formulas:
Cp = (f/2 + 1)R
Cv = (f/2)R
where R is the gas constant.
Calculation for Monatomic Gas
A monatomic gas has only one atom, so N = 1 and f = 3(1) - 6 = 0.
Substituting f = 0 in the above formulas, we get:
Cp = (0/2 + 1)R = R
Cv = (0/2)R = 0
Calculation for Diatomic Gas
A diatomic gas has two atoms, so N = 2 and f = 3(2) - 6 = 0.
Substituting f = 2 in the above formulas, we get:
Cp = (2/2 + 1)R = (3/2)R
Cv = (2/2)R = R
Calculation for Triatomic Gas
A triatomic gas has three atoms, so N = 3 and f = 3(3) - 6 = 3.
Substituting f = 3 in the above formulas, we get:
Cp = (3/2 + 1)R = (5/2)R
Cv = (3/2)R
Therefore, the specific heat (Cp and Cv) of a polyatomic gas depends on the degree of freedom (f), which in turn depends on the number of atoms in the molecule. For a monatomic gas, Cp = R and Cv = 0, for a diatomic gas, Cp = (3/2)R and Cv = R, and for a triatomic gas, Cp = (5/2)R and Cv = (3/2)R.