Chapter 15: The Laws of Thermodynamics
Puzzles



1.  

"Cycling"

Three laboratory rats are placed inside three identical environmental chambers and subjected to three different cycles of changing volume and pressure. In each case, the limits on volume and pressure are the same, and in each case, the chamber returns to its original volume and pressure at the end of the cycle.

PV diagrams describing the three cycles are shown in the figure. Please state which rat was subjected to the highest temperature, and which rat was subjected to the lowest temperature during the cycle.


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