MHT CET202620 April 2026Evening ShiftChemistryThermodynamics (C)Actual
Which of the following processes exhibits the decrease in internal energy of a system?
Options
- AIsothermal expansion of an ideal gas.
- BIsothrmal compression of an ideal gas.
- CAdiabatic expansion of an ideal gas.
- DAdiabatic compression of an ideal gas
Correct answer
C. Adiabatic expansion of an ideal gas.
Step-by-step solution
According to the first law of thermodynamics, U = q + w . For an isothermal process, the temperature remains constant ( T = 0 ). Since the internal energy of an ideal gas depends only on temperature, U = 0 for both isothermal expansion and compression. For an adiabatic process, there is no heat exchange with the surroundings, so q = 0 . The first law becomes U = w . During adiabatic expansion, work is done by the gas on the surroundings, meaning w During adiabatic compression, work is done on the gas, meaning w > 0