Thermal Expansion of an Ideal Gas
(a) The pressure p, volume V, number of moles n, and Kelvin temperature T of an ideal gas are related by the equation p V = nRT, where R is a constant. Prove that the coefficient of volume expansion for an ideal gas is equal to the reciprocal of the Kelvin temperature if the expansion occurs at constant pressure.
(b) Compare the coefficients of volume expansion of copper and air at a temperature of 20°C. Assume that air may be treated as an ideal gas and that the pressure remains constant.