A scientist is testing a pneumatic actuator chamber on an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The chamber contains a trapped mass of nitrogen gas.
Initially, in State 1, the volume of the gas is 80 cm380\text{ cm}^380 cm3 and the pressure gauge reads 120 kPa120\text{ kPa}120 kPa.
State one variable that must be kept constant during this compression.
The piston of the actuator is pushed in so that the volume of the gas is decreased to 32 cm332\text{ cm}^332 cm3 (State 2). Calculate the new pressure of the gas, assuming the temperature of the gas remains constant.
Explain, in terms of gas particles, why the pressure on the inside walls of the actuator chamber increases when the volume of the gas is decreased.
Particle model and pressure Questions
Practise AQA GCSE Physics Particle model and pressure with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 12 questions covering Particle motion in gases, Pressure in gases (physics only), and Increasing the pressure of a gas (physics only) (HT only), matched to the AQA GCSE Physics (8463) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.