Gas Container: In the Gas Simulator, you model gas dynamics using a closed container. This container can either feature a piston (default) or a rigid top wall. The container has sensitive hotspots into which you can plug in meters that measure pressure, density, volume, and temperature inside the container. The figure to the right indicates where you hook up those meters. To place the meters, you must click directly on a hotspot (note position of cursor). |
At the hotspot on the lower right, you can hook up a gas tank (as indicated) to add gas to the container, or a vacuum pump to partially or completely evacuate the container. To obtain an ultrascopic view, you only need to click inside the container with the Ultrascope View tool. You can heat or cool the container using the heater/cooler element located under it, constrain the container to a constant temperature, or prevent any heat energy exchange with the surroundings (that is, you can run an adiabatic simulation). Unlike the Ideal Gas Simulator, if you change the temperature control option for the heater/cooler element during Run mode, the container's movable wall automatically returns to its default position in the middle of the container. In the Properties Box of the container, you can determine the kind of gas in the container: nitrogen, oxygen, helium, carbon dioxide or chlorine. You can also choose to have a container with fixed walls or one with a movable top wall that moves as the gas in the container expands or contracts, or when gas is added or removed from the container. In the latter case, which is the default, the top wall is essentially a piston that you can pull up or push down to expand or compress the gas using the push-pull (or move-top-wall) tool.