FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

Energy Systems and Aerodynamics

Fabio Bosio – M.Eng in Mechanical Engineering 1

 INTODUCTION
Main topics:

• WORK
• TEMPERATURE
• HEAT
• FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMIC

2
 WORK - 1
DEFINITION: transfer of energy into or out of a system which is not considered as HEAT

SI unit: Joule [J] = F [N] ∙ ∆x[m]

E.G.:
• Compression : pushing a piston (see below)
• Expansion

Then, we get:
 WORK - 2
PRESSURE: usually it changes during the compression:
1. No difficulty for infinitesimal change in volume, which will correspond to a negligible
pressure change
2. When it changes significantly during the compression, we need to divide the process
into many steps, apply the work equation for each step and add up all the little works
to get the total work

When the volume of a gas changes and its pressure is constant, the work
done on the gas is minus the area under the graph of P-V.
The same is true when the pressure is not constant
 WORK - 3

1. PRESSURE CONSTANT: the work done is minus the area under the graph
P-V
2. PRESSURE NOT CONSTANT: we divide the process into a bunch of tiny
steps, compute the area under the graph for each step, then add up all
the areas to get the total work. Then, the work is still minus the total area
under the graph P-V

𝑉 𝑓
 
𝑊 = −∫ 𝑃 ( 𝑉 ) 𝑑𝑉
𝑉𝑖
 TEMPERATURE AND HEAT - 1
HEAT = Form of Energy
ENERGY = Expressed in various forms (mechanical, kinetic, potential, electrostatic,…)

   𝑃=𝑚𝑔h

System
HEAT[Q] or Temperature
Object

HEAT: spontaneous flow of energy from on one object to another, caused by a

difference in temperature between the objects
 TEMPERATURE AND HEAT - 2
TEMPERATURE
• Measure of relative hotness or coldness
• Measure of the tendency to spontaneously give up energy to its surroundings
OBJECTS IN THERMAL CONTACT: Spontaneous heat flow from the one at higher
temperature to the other at low temperature, till its THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM

t0 : T1 > T2
T1 T2
t1 : T1 ~ T2
HEAT Time required = RELAXATION
TIME

Kelvin Celsius Fahrenheit

0 K : ABSOLUTE ZERO 0° C: MELTING ICE  
100° C: BOILING
273.15 K = 0 ° C WATER
373.15 K = 100 ° C @ atm pressure
TEMPERATURE AND HEAT - 3
FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS
The total energy of an isolated system is constant; energy can be
transformed from one form to another, but can be neither
created nor destroyed. The first law is often formulated as:

∆  𝑈 =Q −W

It states that the change in the internal energy ΔU of a closed

system is equal to the amount of heat Q supplied to the system,
minus the amount of work W done by the system on its
surroundings.
 FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS –
ISOLATED SYSTEM

An isolated system is a thermodynamic system that cannot exchange either energy or matter
outside the boundaries of a system
An isolated system differs from a closed system by the transfer of energy. Closed system are only
closed to matter, but energy can be exchanged across the system’s boundaries
 FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS – OPEN
• SYSTEM its surroundings.
System that freely exchanges energy and matter with
• For instance, when you are boiling soup in an open saucepan on a stove, energy and matter
are being transferred to the surroundings through steam.
• The saucepan is an open system because it allows for the transfer of matter (for example
adding spices in the saucepan) and for the transfer of energy (for example heating the
saucepan and allowing steam to leave the saucepan).

See video
 FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS – CLOSED
SYSTEM
• Putting a lid on the saucepan makes the saucepan a closed system.
• A closed system is a system that exchanges only energy with its surroundings, not matter. By
putting a lid on the saucepan, matter can no longer transfer because the lid prevents matter
from entering the saucepan and leaving the saucepan.
• The saucepan allows energy transfer. Imagine putting the saucepan on a stove and heating it.

See video
 FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS –ISOLATED
SYSTEM
• The thermos, does not allow for energy transfer, and does not allow matter transfer because
it has a lid that does not allow anything to enter or leave the container.
• As a result, the thermos is what we call an isolated system.
• An isolated system does not exchange energy or matter with its surroundings. For example,
if soup is poured into an insulated container (as seen below) and closed, there is no exchange
of heat or matter. 

See video
FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS -
System - A
Container full of gas

A System - B
Where A is included
B • No exchange of energy
• No exchange of matter

Energy in a system A INCREASES → there’s some energy coming from outside

Energy in a system A DECREASES → some energy has escaped from inside

Energy can be converted from one form to another, but the total amount of energy
in the system never changes (Law of Conservation of Energy)
 PRACTICE PROBLEMS - question

• Which type of thermodynamic system is an ocean? an aquarium? a

pizza delivery bag?
• A closed system contains 2g of ice. Another 2g of ice are added to the
system. What is the final mass of the system?
• An isolated system has an initial temperature of 30oC. It is then placed
on top of a fire for an hour. What is the final temperature?
• What do the first law of thermodynamics have to do with systems?
 PRACTICE PROBLEMS - answers

• ocean: open, aquarium: closed, a pizza delivery bag: isolated

• The final mass will be 2g. Remember, a closed system does not allow
for mass exchange
• The final temperature will be 30oC. Remember, an isolated system
does not allow energy transfer
• The first law of thermodynamics is based on an isolated system
because the first law of thermodynamics says that the internal energy
of an isolated system stays constant. This can only be said for an
isolated system because it is the only system that does not allow
energy transfer
例 3.2

如图，已知活塞与气缸无摩擦，初始时
p1=pb=0.1MPa ， t1=27℃ 。缓缓加热，使
p2=0.15MPa ， t2=207℃ 。若 m=0.1kg ，缸径
d=0.4m ，空气的热力学能满足 {u}kJ/kg=0.72{T}K 。求
：过程加热量 Q 。
解： Q  U  W
据题意
U  m u 2  u1   0.72m T2  T1 

W ?

2 K
W   pdV  p  pb  x dV  A dx
1 A

W    pb  x Adx  Apb  x 2  x1    x 2  x12 

 x2 K  K 2
x1
 A  2

 pb V2  V1    x 2  x12 
K 2 K  ? x2  ?
2

W斥 W弹
 mRg T2 0.1 287   207  273.15
V1    0 .0861m 3

p1 0.1106

V1 0.0861
L1    0.686m
A 1  3.14  0.4 2
4
mRg T2 0.1 287   207  273.15
V2    0.0918m 3

p2 0.15 106

V2 0.0918
L2    0.731m
A 1  3.14  0.4 2
4
x2  L2  L1  0.731  0.686  0.045m
 K  x2  x1 
p2   pb
A
 2
D  p2  pb 
A p2  pb  4
K 
x2  x1 x2  x1

 0.4 2   0.15  106  0.1 106 

3.14
 4  139555.6 N / m
0.045  0

W  Apb  x2  x1    x2  x12 
K 2
2
  0.0452  0 2 
1 139555.6
  3.14  0.4  0.1 10   0.045  0  
2 6

4 2
 706.5 J
Q  U  W
 0.72  0.1  207  27   1000  706.5  13666.5 J