Which gas among the following has the highest value of the adiabatic ...
The ratio of C
P to C
V (C
P/C
V) for gas is known as the specific heat ratio or adiabatic index and is usually denoted by the Greek letter gamma.
- For an ideal monatomic gas (e.g., Helium, Argon, etc.), the adiabatic index is 5/3 or 1.67
- For diatomic gases, the adiabatic index is 7/5 or 1.4
- For polyatomic gases, the adiabatic index is even lesser than the monoatomic and diatomic gases
- Out of the given options, Helium is monoatomic, so it have the highest adiabatic index
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Which gas among the following has the highest value of the adiabatic ...
Adiabatic Index and its Significance
The adiabatic index or the ratio of specific heats is a thermodynamic parameter that measures the ratio of the heat capacity at constant pressure to the heat capacity at constant volume of a gas. It is denoted by the symbol γ.
The adiabatic index plays a significant role in understanding the behavior of gases during adiabatic processes. Adiabatic processes are those where there is no exchange of heat between the system and the surrounding environment.
Higher value of Adiabatic Index
The higher the value of the adiabatic index, the stiffer the gas is. A stiff gas is one that is difficult to compress and has a higher speed of sound.
Helium has the highest adiabatic index among the given options, which makes it a stiff gas. This is because helium is a monoatomic gas with the simplest atomic structure, and hence it experiences the least amount of intermolecular interactions among its atoms.
The adiabatic index of helium is approximately 1.67, while that of nitrogen, oxygen, and methane are 1.40, 1.40, and 1.30 respectively. This means that helium has a higher heat capacity at constant pressure than the other gases, making it more resistant to compression and more efficient in transmitting sound waves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, helium has the highest value of the adiabatic index among the given options, making it a stiff gas. This property makes it an important gas in various applications such as gas chromatography, cooling systems, and as a lifting gas in balloons and airships.