Reversible work is work that's performed under conditions such that you could then "run it in reverse" and get back to your initial state. A famous example is the Carnot cycle. The reason why not all work is reversible is that most processes increase entropy (as in, total entropy, of the entire Universe)..
Furthermore, what does reversible mean in thermodynamics?
In thermodynamics, a reversible process is a process whose direction can be returned to its original position by inducing infinitesimal changes to some property of the system via its surroundings. Throughout the entire reversible process, the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium with its surroundings.
Furthermore, what is the thermodynamic work in a reversible process? A thermodynamic process is reversible if the process can return back in such a that both the system and the surroundings return to their original states, with no other change anywhere else in the universe. It means both system and surroundings are returned to their initial states at the end of the reverse process.
Similarly, what is reversible process with example?
Some examples of reversible processes are uniform and slow expansion or compression of a fluid, such as fluid flows in a well-designed turbine, compressor, nozzle, or diffuser. Reversible processes is differentially removed from equilibrium with no (appreciable) internal temperature, pressure, and velocity changes.
How do you calculate the work done in a reversible process?
- in irreversible isothermal expansion, formula for work done is W=P(external)x change in volume.
- For an irreversible expansion process, a crude approximation to the force exerted by the gas on the piston (where the work is done) can be provided by the equation FA=Pext=nRTV−kVdVdt.
Related Question Answers
What does Polytropic mean?
The term "polytropic" was originally coined to describe any reversible process on any open or closed system of gas or vapor which involves both heat and work transfer, such that a specified combination of properties were maintained constant throughout the process.Why are all real processes irreversible?
Ernest Z. Spontaneous processes are irreversible because they can be reversed only by taking a different path to get back to their original state. A reversible process can take the same path to return to its original state. An irreversible process must take a different path to get back to its original state.Why is Carnot engine reversible?
So the Carnot cycle process involves four steps: Heat is absorbed isothermally from the higher T reservoir while the piston expands and does work. The gas then is compressed isothermally by the piston which also rejects heat into the low temperature reservoir (and is reversible).Why is Carnot cycle reversible?
In order to approach the Carnot efficiency, the processes involved in the heat engine cycle must be reversible and involve no change in entropy. This means that the Carnot cycle is an idealization, since no real engine processes are reversible and all real physical processes involve some increase in entropy.Are reversible processes possible?
Having been reversed, it leaves no change in either the system or the surroundings. Since it would take an infinite amount of time for the reversible process to finish, perfectly reversible processes are impossible.What makes a system reversible?
A thermodynamic process is reversible if the process can return back in such a that both the system and the surroundings return to their original states, with no other change anywhere else in the universe. It means both system and surroundings are returned to their initial states at the end of the reverse process.Why is entropy of reversible process always zero?
Change in entropy for a cyclic process is always zero. Whether the the process is reversible or irreversible (As entropy is a state function). And for a reversible process the surrounding undergoes a equal and opposite change as the system. For a reversible process, Entropy change is zero iff it is adiabatic.Why reversible process is not possible?
Having been reversed, it leaves no change in either the system or the surroundings. Since it would take an infinite amount of time for the reversible process to finish, perfectly reversible processes are impossible.What is irreversible cycle?
An irreversible process is a process that cannot return both the system and the surroundings to their original conditions. That is, the system and the surroundings would not return to their original conditions if the process was reversed. There are many factors that make a process irreversible.What is the example of irreversible process?
Some examples of irreversible processes are electric current flow through a conductor with a resistance, magnetization or polarization with hysteresis, inelastic deformation, fluid flow with shock wave, and mixing of fluid with different temperatures, pressures, and/or compositions.Do reversible processes exist?
Originally Answered: Does thermodynamic reversible process exists in reality? Due to these infinitesimal changes, the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium throughout the entire process. Since it would take an infinite amount of time for the reversible process to finish, perfectly reversible processes are impossible.What are some examples of irreversible changes?
Irreversible changes are permanent changes that cannot be undone. Cooking, baking, frying, burning, mixing, rusting, heating are examples of irreversible changes.What is flow work?
FLOW WORK. Work is needed to push the fluid into or out of the boundaries of a control volume if mass flow is involved. This work is called the flow work (flow energy). Flow work is necessary for maintaining a continuous flow through a control volume. This is the work done by fluid to enter or leave a system.What are examples of reversible and irreversible processes in the real world?
Examples of irreversible process. (i) Relative motion with friction (ii) Combustion (iii) Diffusion (iv) Free expansion (v) Throttling (vi) Electricity flow through a resistance (vii) Heat transfer (viii) Plastic deformation.What is difference between reversible and irreversible?
Difference between reversible and irreversible process in thermodynamics. The basic difference between reversible and irreversible processes is that in the reversible process the system remains in thermodynamic equilibrium, while in the irreversible process the system does not remain in thermodynamic equilibrium.Is isothermal process reversible?
Just being isothermal does not necessarily make a process reversible. There are plenty of isothermal processes that are not reversible. The other two legs (4 to 1 and 2 to 3) are adiabatic compression or expansion and the temperature changes but they are reversible processes.Is isobaric process reversible?
There is no connection of a process being isobaric and being reversible. There is no connection of a process being isobaric and being reversible. Both are two different concepts but usually people gets confused in this just because the formula of work done is same for both cases.What is reversible work done?
Reversible work is work that's performed under conditions such that you could then "run it in reverse" and get back to your initial state. A famous example is the Carnot cycle . The reason why not all work is reversible is that most processes increase entropy (as in, total entropy, of the entire Universe).Why is heat transfer irreversible?
There are many factors that make a process irreversible. Four of the most common causes of irreversibility are friction, unrestrained expansion of a fluid, heat transfer through a finite temperature difference, and mixing of two different substances. 
