Question 11.4: Suppose we make a series of measurements in the laboratory a...
Suppose we make a series of measurements in the laboratory and think we discovered a new thermodynamic property, call it z. Our experimental data provide an empirical equation of the form: dz = p dv + v^2 dp. Is z a new property?
Learn more on how we answer questions.
The unknown is whether or not z is a new thermodynamic property. Equation (11.11) here has the form
dz=(\frac{\partial z}{\partial x} )_y dx+(\frac{\partial z}{\partial y} )_x dy=Mdx+Ndy (11.11)
dz = Mdx+ Ndy = p dv +v^2dp
so M = p, N = v^2 , x = v, and \text{y} = p. The cross differentials in Eq. (11.12) are
(\frac{\partial M}{\partial y} )_x\equiv (\frac{\partial N}{\partial x} )_y (11.12)
(\frac{∂M}{∂\text{y}} )_x = (\frac{∂p}{∂p} )_v = 1
and
(\frac{∂N}{∂x} )_\text{y} = (\frac{∂ (v)^2}{∂v} )_p = 2v ≠ (\frac{∂M}{∂\text{y}} )_x
Since Eq. (11.12) is not satisfied here, then z cannot be a thermodynamic property.