In the first law of thermodynamics,
,W is positive when
A) the work is being done on the environment by the system.
B) the work is being done on the system by the environment.
C) the work is being done on the environment by the system,and the temperature of the system goes up.
D) the work is being done on the system by the environment,and the temperature of the system goes up.

Question

In the first law of thermodynamics, 
,W is positive when
A) the work is being done on the environment by the system. 
B) the work is being done on the system by the environment. 
C) the work is being done on the environment by the system,and the temperature of the system goes up. 
D) the work is being done on the system by the environment,and the temperature of the system goes up.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the first law of thermodynamics, work (W) is the energy transferred from or to the environment due to a change in volume. When work is done on the system by the environment, the system gains energy and W is positive. Therefore, the best choice is B. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they describe situations where the system is doing work on the environment, which would result in negative values for W.

In the First Law of Thermodynamics