This applet compares the work done by an ideal gas on the surroundings when expanding irreversibly to one expanding reversibly. The work done is each case is the total area under the curve of external pressure versus volume, between V = V1 and V = V2. Notice that greater work is obtained by the reversible expansion. As the applet begins the first time, it is demonstrating the irreversible expansion. Click on the appopriate box to view the desired expansion. To clear the graph, click clear, then click restart.
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