MCQMediumJEE 2025Equation of State of Ideal Gas

JEE Physics 2025 Question with Solution

There are two vessels filled with an ideal gas where volume of one is double the volume of the other. The large vessel contains the gas at 8kPa8 \, \text{kPa} at 1000K1000 \, \text{K} while the smaller vessel contains the gas at 7kPa7 \, \text{kPa} at 500K500 \, \text{K}. If the vessels are connected to each other by a thin tube allowing the gas to flow and the temperature of both vessels is maintained at 600K600 \, \text{K}, at steady state the pressure in the vessels will be (in kPa\text{kPa}).

  • A

    4.44.4

  • B

    66

  • C

    2424

  • D

    1818

Answer

Correct answer:B

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: Volume of the larger vessel is double that of the smaller vessel. Initial states are P1=8kPa, T1=1000KP_1 = 8 \, \text{kPa},\ T_1 = 1000 \, \text{K} for the larger vessel and P2=7kPa, T2=500KP_2 = 7 \, \text{kPa},\ T_2 = 500 \, \text{K} for the smaller vessel. Final common temperature is Tf=600KT_f = 600 \, \text{K}.

Find: Final common pressure in the connected vessels.

Use the ideal gas law:

PV=nRTPV = nRT

So the moles in the two vessels are

n1=P1V1RT1,n2=P2V2RT2n_1 = \frac{P_1V_1}{RT_1}, \qquad n_2 = \frac{P_2V_2}{RT_2}

Given V1=2V2V_1 = 2V_2, substitute into the expressions:

n1=8×2V2R×1000=16V21000Rn_1 = \frac{8 \times 2V_2}{R \times 1000} = \frac{16V_2}{1000R} n2=7V2R×500=14V21000Rn_2 = \frac{7V_2}{R \times 500} = \frac{14V_2}{1000R}

Hence total moles are

ntotal=n1+n2=16V21000R+14V21000R=30V21000Rn_{\text{total}} = n_1 + n_2 = \frac{16V_2}{1000R} + \frac{14V_2}{1000R} = \frac{30V_2}{1000R}

After connection, the total volume is

V1+V2=2V2+V2=3V2V_1 + V_2 = 2V_2 + V_2 = 3V_2

At the final state,

Pf(3V2)=ntotalR(600)P_f(3V_2) = n_{\text{total}}R(600)

Substituting ntotaln_{\text{total}},

Pf(3V2)=30V21000RR600P_f(3V_2) = \frac{30V_2}{1000R} \cdot R \cdot 600

Therefore,

Pf=30×6001000×3=6kPaP_f = \frac{30 \times 600}{1000 \times 3} = 6 \, \text{kPa}

Therefore, the final pressure in both vessels is 6kPa6 \, \text{kPa}. The correct option is B.

The second approach shown in the source also concludes the same result, although it interchanges the vessel labels while substituting volumes. The final answer still comes out to 6kPa6 \, \text{kPa}.

Total $$\frac{PV}{T}$$ Conservation Trick

Given: Two rigid vessels are connected, and the total amount of gas remains constant.

Find: Final common pressure at 600K600 \, \text{K}.

For an ideal gas in separate vessels, total moles are proportional to the sum of PVT\frac{PV}{T} for each part:

ntotalR=P1V1T1+P2V2T2n_{\text{total}}R = \frac{P_1V_1}{T_1} + \frac{P_2V_2}{T_2}

At the final state,

Pf(V1+V2)=ntotalRTfP_f(V_1+V_2) = n_{\text{total}}RT_f

So,

Pf=Tf(P1V1T1+P2V2T2)V1+V2P_f = \frac{T_f\left(\frac{P_1V_1}{T_1} + \frac{P_2V_2}{T_2}\right)}{V_1+V_2}

Take the smaller vessel volume as VV. Then the larger vessel has volume 2V2V. Hence,

Pf=600(82V1000+7V500)3VP_f = \frac{600\left(\frac{8 \cdot 2V}{1000} + \frac{7 \cdot V}{500}\right)}{3V} =600(16V1000+14V1000)3V= \frac{600\left(\frac{16V}{1000} + \frac{14V}{1000}\right)}{3V} =6003010003=6kPa= \frac{600 \cdot 30}{1000 \cdot 3} = 6 \, \text{kPa}

This works because the gas redistributes, but the total number of moles remains unchanged.

Common mistakes

  • Using only one vessel's initial state to compute the final pressure is wrong because gas from both vessels contributes to the final equilibrium. Instead, first add the moles from both vessels using the ideal gas law.

  • Reversing the volume ratio is a common mistake. The question says the large vessel has double the volume of the smaller one, so use V1=2V2V_1 = 2V_2, not the other way around.

  • Applying PV=constantPV = \text{constant} is incorrect because the temperature changes from the initial values to 600K600 \, \text{K}. Use the full ideal gas relation with temperature included.

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