The human ear canal is about 2.8 cm long and can be regarded as a tube open at one
end and closed at the eardrum.
What is the fundamental frequency around
which we would expect hearing to be most
sensitive? Assume the speed of sound in air
to be 340 m/s.
Answer in units of kHz.

As part of an industrial process, air as an ideal gas at 10 bar, 400k expands at steady state through a valve to a pressure of 4 bar. the mass flow rate of air is 0.5 kg/s. the air then passes through a heat exchanger where it is cooled to a temperature of 295k with negligible change in pressure. the valve can be modeled as a throttling process, and kinetic and potential energy effects can be neglected. (a) for a control volume enclosing the valve and heat exchanger and enough of the local surroundings that the heat transfer occurs at the ambient temperature of 295 k, determine the rate of entropy production, in kw/k. (b) if the expansion valve were replaced by an adiabatic turbine operating isentropically, what would be the entropy production? compare the results of parts (a) and (b) and discuss.

Consider an insulating crystal, made up of layers of atoms. what form would you expect the temperature dependence of the phonon heat capacity to approach at extremely low temperatures if the interlayer coupling is i)very strong (rigid coupling), and ii) very weak. explain.

Aprisoner is forced to go into one of three rooms, but he can choose which room. the first room is ablaze with fire. the second one is rigged with explosives that will go off as soon as he enters. the third contains a pair of lions who haven't eaten in years. which room should he choose to survive?