## Reversible processes and greatest work

$w=-P\Delta V$
and
$w=-\int_{V_{1}}^{V_{2}}PdV=-nRTln\frac{V_{2}}{V_{1}}$

Anisha Chandra 1K
Posts: 118
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:17 am

### Reversible processes and greatest work

Why do reversible processes do the greatest amount of work?

Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Reversible processes and greatest work

Reversible processes do the most work, because they have to push against more external pressure

Sidharth D 1E
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Reversible processes and greatest work

When looking at the reversible, isothermal expansion of an ideal gas, if the external pressure of a system were to be increased even infinitesimally at any stage of the expansion, the piston would move in instead of out. Therefore, the work done during a reversible expansion of a gas is the maximum expansion work possible.

Joseph Saba
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Reversible processes and greatest work

It's also easier to think about the amount of work as synonymous with energy or the amount of effort it would take to do something like that.