A rescue team places a pneumatic lifting cushion beneath a heavy beam. The cushion contains a fixed mass of compressed air and is sealed. Straps initially hold the cushion in a compressed shape.
When the straps are released, the cushion expands rapidly and raises the beam. Sensors show that the temperature and pressure of the air both decrease while the cushion is expanding.
Explain the movement of the beam and the changes recorded by the sensors. Use ideas about energy transfer and gas particles.
108 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 14.3 Gas pressure and temperature, covering 14.3.1 Gas pressure and particle motion, 14.3.2 Temperature and pressure at constant volume, 14.3.3 Absolute zero and the kelvin scale, 14.3.4 Compressing and expanding gases, 14.3.5 Volume and pressure at constant temperature, and 14.3.6 Doing work on a gas. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.