What occurs to specific volume during isothermal expansion of an ideal gas?

Learn the essentials for your FE Mechanical exam. Study with our questions and explanations, designed to prepare you thoroughly for exam day.

During isothermal expansion of an ideal gas, the specific volume, which is defined as the volume per unit mass of the gas, increases. This process occurs at a constant temperature, meaning that as the gas expands, it does so by increasing its volume while maintaining thermal equilibrium with its surroundings.

In an isothermal process, the ideal gas law (PV = nRT) plays a crucial role. As the gas expands, the pressure (P) decreases while the volume (V) increases, with the product of pressure and volume transitioning to accommodate the constant temperature condition. Since specific volume is directly related to the volume of the gas, and the mass of the gas remains unchanged, as the volume increases during expansion, the specific volume increases as well.

Hence, the correct understanding is that during isothermal expansion, the specific volume of an ideal gas increases.

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