I quote from NCERT - thermodynamics chapter - page 302:"'Now, the system may go from initial state to final state in a number of ways. For example, to change the state of a gas from (P1,V1) to (P2,V2), we can first change the volume of the gas from V1 to V2, keeping it's pressure constant i.e. we can first go to the stateP1, V2 and then change the pressure of the gas from P1 to P2, keeping the volume constant, to take the gas to P2, V2. Alternatively, we can first keep the volume constant and then keep the pressure constant."'My question is, when they say they'll keep either of the 2 : pressure or volume constant, and change the other, they change either the temperature(T) or the amount of gas taken(n) to achieve this, right ?Because I don't see any other way this could be possible - changing pressure and keeping volume constant or vice versa.Please explain... it wuld be great help.thanks.

Navjyot Kalra , 10 Years ago

Grade 10