COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Thermodynamics

Name: Partoza, Jenny Babe C. Date: June 15, 2021

Course and Year: BSEd- 3-1 Score: ________

Activity # 03
The Laws of Thermodynamics

I. Introduction:
Thermodynamics has its roots in many practical problems from different heat engines
to muscle tissues. The gasoline engine in an automobile, the jet engines in an airplane, and
the rocket engines in a launch vehicle use the heat of combustion of their fuel to perform
mechanical work in propelling the vehicle. Muscle tissue in living organisms metabolizes
chemical energy in food and performs mechanical work on the organism’s surroundings. A
steam engine or steam turbine uses the heat of combustion of coal or other fuel to perform
mechanical work such as driving an electronic generator or pulling a train.

II. Objectives:
At the end of this activity, the students will be able to:
a. differentiate between the different thermodynamic processes, and
b. create schematic diagrams illustrating heat engines and heat movers.

III. Materials:
Scientific Calculator (optional) pencil/drawing materials
Physics e-books ruler

IV. Procedure:

A. Complete the following table/matrix with the needed information.

Thermodynamic In Symbol or Describe what happens Specific
Description
Processes Equation Form with W, Q, Eint or U Examples
In an isobaric process,
there are typically
internal energy
A process in
changes. Work is done You let
which the
p=const.→ W = p by the system, and bread rise
Isobaric pressure in a
(V2 – V1) heat is transferred, so on the
system remains
none of the quantities counter.
constant. in the first law of
thermodynamics
readily reduce to zero.
Salcedo, Eastern Samar 6807
Eastern Samar, Philippines
essu_salcedo@yahoo.com.
https://essu.edu.ph
 The process, During an isochoric
during which process, heat enters You boil
the volume of (leaves) the system water in a
Isochoric W=0 →U2 – U1 = Q
the system and increases pressure
remains (decreases) the cooker.
constant. internal energy.
Expansion:
heat enters the system
all of the heat is used
by the system to do
work on the
The process, in environment.
Oxygen is
which there is
carried
no change in Compression:
from your
temperature, the work done on the
Isothermal ∆U=0,Q =-W lungs to
that means the system increases its
cells in
temperature internal energy, all of
your blood
remains the energy leaves the
vessels.
constant. system at the same
time as the heat is
removed.
Oxygen is carried from
your lungs to cells in
your blood vessels.
During an adiabatic
expansion process, the
reduction of the internal
energy is used by the
The process,
system to do work on
during which A sealed
the environment.
the heat content cooler of
Adiabatic Q=0→U 2 – U1 = W
of the system dry ice
During an adiabatic
remains evaporates.
compression process,
constant.
the environment does
work on the system
and increases the
internal energy.

Salcedo, Eastern Samar 6807

Eastern Samar, Philippines
essu_salcedo@yahoo.com.
https://essu.edu.ph
 B. Solve the following comprehensively.

1. A typical coal-fired power plant uses steam at a temperature of 1,000 °F (819 K).
The steam leaves the turbine at a temperature of about 212 °F (373 K). What is
the theoretical maximum efficiency of the power plant?
Given:
T C = 212 °F (373 K)
T H = 1000 °F (819 K)
Solution:
TC
e c = 1-
TH
373 K
= 1-
819 K
= 1 – O.46 K
e c = 0.54 or 54 % maximum effeciency

2. A nuclear power reactor has pressurized water at 300 °C. Steam, produced in the
steam generator, is used to drive the turbine-generators. Eventually the steam is
condensed to water at 27 °C and then heated again to start the cycle over.
Calculate the maximum theoretical efficiency for a heat engine operating between
these two temperatures.
Given:
T C = 27 °C (300 K)
T H = 300 °C (573 K)
Solution:
TC
e c = 1-
TH
300 K
= 1-
573 K
= 1 – O.52 K
e c = 0.476 or 47.6 % maximum effeciency

3. Suppose a steam engine receives steam at 500 K. The engine uses part of this
thermal energy for work. It exhausts the rest to a condenser at a temperature of
300 K. What is the maximum efficiency of this steam engine?
Given:
T C = 300 K
T H = 500 K
Solution:
TC
e c = 1-
TH
Salcedo, Eastern Samar 6807
Eastern Samar, Philippines
essu_salcedo@yahoo.com.
https://essu.edu.ph
 300 K
= 1-
500 K
= 1 – O.6 K
e c = 0.400 or 40.0 % maximum effeciency

V. Enrichment:
Create schematic diagrams for a heat engine and for a heat mover. Include labels and a
brief explanation for each diagram

Heat engines are the devices which convert the

thermal energy into mechanical work. The efficiency
of a heat engine is defined as the work out divided by
the energy in. Efficiency = (Work out) / (Energy in) =
(Work out) / (Heat in) by conservation of energy this
is also Efficiency = (Heat in – Heat out) / (Energy in)
= 1 – (Heat out) / (Heat in).

A device
that moves the heat from a low temperature
environment to a high temperature environment is
called a heat mover example is heat pump. If a
heat engine is run in reverse, then work W is done
on the engine as heat QC is removed from the
lower-temperature reservoir and a greater quantity of
heat QH is released to the higher- temperature
reservoir.

Salcedo, Eastern Samar 6807

Eastern Samar, Philippines
essu_salcedo@yahoo.com.
https://essu.edu.ph