The work done by a gas on a piston can be obtained from the graph, provided the abscissa represents the
A) internal energy.
B) temperature.
C) density.
D) volume.
E) time.

Question

The work done by a gas on a piston can be obtained from the graph, provided the abscissa represents the
A) internal energy. 
B) temperature. 
C) density. 
D) volume. 
E) time.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The work done by a gas on a piston is given by the area under the curve on a pressure vs. volume graph. Therefore, the abscissa (horizontal axis) must represent volume, which is the only option given in the choices.

The Work Done by a Gas on a Piston Can