e are all familiar with the general principles of operation of an internal combustion reaction: the combustion of fuel drives out the piston. It is possible to imagine engines that use reactions other than combustions, and we need to assess the work they can do. A chemical reaction takes place in a container of cross-sectional area 100 cm2 ; the container has a piston at one end. As a result of the reaction, the piston is pushed out through 10.0 cm against a constant external pressure of 100 kPa. Calculate the work done by the system.