If $\Delta Q$ and $\Delta W$ represent the heat supplied to the system and the work done by the syst

Question

If $\Delta Q$ and $\Delta W$ represent the heat supplied to the system and the work done by the system respectively, which of the following is true for an isothermal expansion of an ideal gas?

Professor PC Thomas Classes · Answer

(b) : By the first law of thermodynamics, $\Delta Q = \Delta U + \Delta W$. For an ideal gas undergoing an isothermal process, the temperature remains constant ($\Delta T = 0$), which implies the change in internal energy is zero ($\Delta U = 0$). Therefore, the equation simplifies to $\Delta Q = \Delta W$, meaning all the heat supplied is converted into work done by the gas.