Consider a mixture of air and gasoline vapor in a cylinder with a piston.

Question

The original volume is 50. cm3. If the combustion of this mixture releases 1077. J of energy, to what volume will the gases expand against a constant pressure of 655. torr if all the energy of combustion is converted into work to push back the piston?

Answer 1

W = P deltaV

1077 J = (655 torr )(1 atm/760 torr)(x L)

1077 J x 1L-atm/101.325J = 0.862 atm * xL

10.6 L-atm/0.862 atm = xL

x = 12.3 L = delta V

Final volume = 12.3 L + 0.05 L

check my math and conversions of J and liter-atmospheres