Exam-style question
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What happens to the internal energy of a gas during an isothermal expansion?.
- A.It increases due to heat absorption
- B.It decreases due to work done on the gas
- C.It remains constant as temperature is constant
- D.It increases due to work done by the gas
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It remains constant as temperature is constant
Explanation
Why this works
During an isothermal expansion, the internal energy of the gas remains constant because the temperature does not change. The heat absorbed by the gas is equal to the work done by the gas, which maintains the internal energy at a constant level.
This understanding is crucial for analyzing energy transfers in thermodynamic processes.
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