In a car engine, the compression stroke involves the piston compressing the air/gas mixture so rapidly that virtually no heat loss can occur. In the compression stroke, the air/gas mixture
A) heats because of friction between the gas and the cylinder.
B) cools because the gas is radiating its energy away.
C) heats because work is being done on the air/gas mixture.
D) cools because the air/gas mixture is doing work on the piston.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During the compression stroke in a car engine, the piston compresses the air/gas mixture, and as work is done on the mixture, its temperature increases. This is an application of the first law of thermodynamics, where work done on the system (in this case, the air/gas mixture) increases its internal energy, leading to a rise in temperature.

In a Car Engine, the Compression Stroke Involves the Piston