A gas is enclosed in a metallic cylinder fitted with a piston. The piston is abruptly moved inward to compress the gas and is held at this position. As time elapses, the pressure of the gas in the cylinder

Step-by-step solution

When the gas is abruptly compressed, the process is approximately adiabatic. During this adiabatic compression, work is done on the gas, which increases its internal energy and consequently raises its temperature. Since the cylinder is metallic, it acts as a good conductor of heat. As time elapses, the hot gas loses heat to the cooler surroundings through the conducting walls of the cylinder, causing its temperature to fall. The piston is held at the compressed position, meaning the volume of the gas remains consta