This is an incomplete question. The complete question is:
A gas is compressed from an initial volume of 5.50 L to a final volume of 1.20 L by an external pressure of 1.00 atm. During the compression the gas releases 128 J of heat. What is the change in internal energy of the gas?
Answer: 325 Joules
Explanation:
According to first law of thermodynamics:
[tex]\Delta E=q+w[/tex]
[tex]\Delta E[/tex]=Change in internal energy
q = heat absorbed or released
w = work done or by the system
w = work done on the system=[tex]-P\Delta V[/tex] {Work is done on the system as the final volume is lesser than initial volume and is positive}
w =[tex]-1.00atm\times (1.24-5.65)L=4.41Latm=447Joules[/tex] {1Latm=101.3J}
q = -122J {Heat released by the system is negative}
[tex]\Delta E=+447+(-122)=325J[/tex]
Thus the change in internal energy of the gas is 325 Joules
