What is thermodynamics?

• A branch of physics concerned with heat and

temperature and their relation to energy and
work.
• Applies to a wide variety of topics in science
and engineering

The term thermodynamic system is used

frequently in thermodynamics.
 What is a system?
• A part of the physical universe chosen for analysis
• Every system is defined by boundaries
• Everything outside the system is known as the
environment.
 Thermodynamic Systems
•Isolated system
•Open system
•Closed system
 Thermodynamic Systems
Isolated System
• No matter or energy exchange
across boundaries.
• No work can be done on the
system.
• Example: Soup poured into an
insulated container (thermos)
 Thermodynamic Systems
Open System
• Open exchange of matter and
energy.
• Work can be done on the
system.
• Example(s): boiling water,
most biological processes
(water cycle, rock cycle, etc.)
 Thermodynamic Systems
Closed System
• Open exchange of energy.
• Matter cannot be exchanged.
• Example(s): Earth, a tied
balloon, water pump
Thermodynamic Systems
 First Law of Thermodynamics
• The energy of the universe is constant.
• Energy can be neither created nor destroyed, so
while energy can be transferred to another
form, the total energy remains constant.
• This is merely a statement of conservation of
energy.
 Second Law of Thermodynamics
Composed of two parts:
– The entropy (∆S) of the universe increases in a
spontaneous process and remains unchanged in
an equilibrium process.
– Heat energy is transferred from warm objects to
cold objects, NEVER from cold objects to warm
objects. Heat will be transferred between objects
until they reach thermal equilibrium.
 What is entropy (∆S)?
• A measure of the disorder of a system.
• Systems tend to naturally change from a state of
low entropy to a state of higher entropy.
Everything outside the system is known as the
environment.
• If left to themselves, systems will increase their
entropy.
Examples of entropy (∆S)
 What is thermal equilibrium?
• Thermal equilibrium is when objects have
reached the same temperature.
• Heat is transferred from the warm object to the
cold object until they both reach the same
temperature
• Once they reach the same temperature, heat is
no longer transferred.
Examples of thermal equilibrium
 Third Law of Thermodynamics
• It is impossible to
lower the temperature
of an object to
absolute zero.
• Absolute zero = 0 K
• At absolute zero all
particle motion stops.
“Zeroth” Law of Thermodynamics
When two objects have
the same temperature,
they are in thermal
equilibrium, and no heat
will be transferred
between them.