MECE 312 Practice Questions 1

12 Dec 2017

1. An astronaut weighs 700 N on Earth where g= 9.81 m/s2 . What is the astronaut’s
weight, in N, on an orbiting space station where the acceleration of gravity is 6 m/s2 ?

2. A closed system consists of 0.5 kmol of ammonia occupying a volume of 6 m3.

Determine (a) the weight of the system, in N, and (b) the specific volume, in m3 /kmol
and m3 /kg. Let g= 9.81 m/s2 .

3. A closed vessel having a volume of 1 liter holds 2.5x 1022 molecules of ammonia
vapor. For the ammonia, determine
a) the amount present, in kg and kmol, and
b) the specific volume, in m 3 /kg and m 3 /kmol.

4. A gas contained within a piston–cylinder assembly undergoes

three processes in series:
Process 1–2: Compression with pV =constant from p1= 1 bar, V1 = 1.0 m3 to V2 = 0.2 m3
Process 2–3: Constant-pressure expansion to V 3 =1.0 m3
Process 3–1: Constant volume
Sketch the processes in series on a p – V diagram labelled with pressure and volume
values at each numbered state.

5. The barometer shown in figure below contains mercury (𝜌𝑚 =13.59 g/cm3 ). If the
local atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa and g =9.81 m/s2 , determine the height of the
mercury column, L, in mmHg and inHg.

Mercury vapour

L
𝜌𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 100𝑘𝑃𝑎

Liquid mercury 𝜌𝑚 = 13.59𝑔/𝑐𝑚3

 6. Water flows through a Venturi meter, as shown in figure below. The pressure of the
water in the pipe supports columns of water that differ in height by 200 mm.
Determine the difference in pressure between points a and b, in kPa Does the
pressure increase or decrease in the direction of flow? The atmospheric pressure is
101.3 kPa, the specific volume of water is 0.001 m3 /kg, and the acceleration of
gravity is g= 9.81m/s2.

patm = 101.3 kPa

g = 9.81 m/s2

Water L = 200mm.
v = 0.001m3/kg

a
b
7. A vacuum gage indicates that the pressure of carbon dioxide in a closed tank is −10
kPa. A mercury barometer gives the local atmospheric pressure as 750 mmHg.
Determine the absolute pressure of the carbon dioxide, in kPa. The density of mercury
is 13.59 g/cm 3 and g =9.81 m/s 2 .

8. A multi-fluid container is connected to a U-tube as shown below. For the given specific
gravities and fluid column heights, determine the gage pressure at A. Also determine
the height of a mercury column that would create the same pressure at A. (note the
specific gravity of mercury to be 13.6)

9. The basic barometer can be used to measure the height of a building. If the barometric
readings at the top and at the bottom of a building are 675 and 695 mmHg,
respectively, determine the height of the building. Take the densities of air and mercury
to be 1.18 kg/m3 and 13,600 kg/m3, respectively.
10. Calculate the absolute pressure, P1, of the manometer shown in Fig P2-60 in kPa. The
local atmospheric pressure is 758 mmHg.