Chapter 10

Thermal Physics

1
 Chapter Outline

10.1 Temperature and the Zeroth law of Thermodynamics

10.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales
10.3 Thermal Expansions of Solids and Liquids

2
 Thermal physics

 Thermal physics is the study of

 Temperature
 Heat
 How these affect matter

3
 Definitions

 The process by which energy is exchanged between

objects because of temperature differences is called
heat
 Objects are in thermal contact if energy can be
exchanged between them
 Thermal equilibrium exists when two objects are in
thermal contact with each other and there is no net
exchange of energy between them (Same temperature)

4
 10.1 Temperature and the Zeroth law of
Thermodynamics

Temperature
 A basic physical quantity
 Measure the degree of hotness of a body
 Measure by an instrument called thermometer
 But, Understanding the concept of Temp. requires
understanding Thermal contact and thermal equilibrium

5
 10.1 Temperature and the Zeroth law of
Thermodynamics

The Zeroth law of Thermodynamic

 If objects A and B are separately in thermal equilibrium
with a third object C, Then A and B are in thermal
equilibrium with each other.

 Two objects in thermal equilibrium if they are at the

same Temperature
6
 10.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales

 Thermometers are devices used to measure the

temperature of an object or a system.

 When a thermometer is in thermal contact with a system,

energy is exchanged until the thermometer and the
system are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

 Thermometer must be much smaller than the system, the

energy gains or loses does not significantly affect the
energy of the system 7
 10.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales

 All the thermometers use some physical properties that

depend on the temperature. Some of these properties
are:
1) the volume of a fluid

2) the length of a solid

3) the pressure of a gas held at constant volume

4) the volume of a gas held at constant pressure

5) electric resistance of a conductor

6) the color of very hot object.

8
 10.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales

 One common thermometer consists of a

mass of liquid: mercury or alcohol.

 The fluid expands into a glass capillary

tube when its temperature rises.

 Temperature can be defined by the height

of the mercury column.

9
 10.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales

 The thermometer can be calibrated

by placing it in thermal contact with
environments that remain at constant
temp.
 Two of such environments are:

1) a mixture of water and ice in

thermal equilibrium at atmospheric
pressure.
2) a mixture of water and steam in
thermal equilibrium at atmospheric
pressure. 10
 10.2 Thermometers and Temperature Scales

Celsius Scale
 Temperature of an ice-water mixture is defined as 0° C
This is the ice point or the freezing point of water

 Temperature of a water-steam mixture is defined as

100° C
 This is the steam point or the boiling point of water

 Distance between these points is divided into 100

segments or degrees

11
 Gas Thermometer

 A constant-volume gas thermometer

measures the pressure of the gas
contained in the flask immersed in
the bath.

 The volume of the gas in the flask is

kept constant by raising or lowering
reservoir B to keep the mercury level
constant in reservoir A.
12
 Gas Thermometer

 It has been experimentally observed that the pressure

varies linearly with temperature of a fixed volume of
gas, which does not depend on what gas is used.
 It has been experimentally observed that these straight
lines merge at a single point at temp.
 -273.15 C0 at pressure = 0.

13
 Gas Thermometer

 This temperature is called absolute zero, which is the

base of the Kelvin temperature scale
TK=TC+273.15

measured in kelvin (K) where TC is temperature in Celsius..

0 K = -273.15 C0
 To convert :

14
 Temperature Scales

 The common temperature scale in

US is Fahrenheit:
 The relationship between the Celsius
and Fahrenheit temperature scales
is:

 Celsius temperatures in terms of

Fahrenheit temperatures:

15
 Example

 On a day when the temperature reaches 50ºF, what is the

temperature in degrees Celsius and in kelvins?

16
10.3 Thermal Expansions of Solids and Liquids

Thermal (linear) expansion

 Thermal expansion : As temperature of a substance

increases, its volume in general increases. This
phenomenon is called thermal expansion.

 The overall thermal expansion of an object is a

consequence of the change in the average separation
between its constituent atoms or molecules.

17
 Thermal (linear) expansion

Thermal (linear) expansion

where
 L : is the object’s final length,
 T: is its final temperature,
 α: is the proportionality constant a is called the
coefficient of linear expansion for a given material and
has units of
18
Thermal expansion

19
 Thermal area expansion

Thermal area expansion

 Because the linear dimensions of an object change
due to variations in temperature, it follows that the
surface area and volume of the object also change.

20
 Thermal volume expansion

Thermal volume expansion

 In a similar fashion we can show that the increase in
volume of an object accompanying a change in
temperature is:

 where β, the coefficient of volume expansion, is equal to

3α.

21
Thermal Expansions of Solids and Liquids

22
 Example

A steel railroad track has a length of 30.00m when

the temperature is 0°C.
What is its length on a hot day when the
temperature is 40.0°C?

Solution:

23
 Example

a) A circular copper ring at 20.0°C has a hole with an area of

9.980 cm2.
What minimum temperature must it have so that it can be
slipped onto a steel metal rod having a cross-sectional area of
10.000 cm2?

Solution
∆ 𝐴=10.0− 9.980=0.020

24
 Example

b) Suppose the ring and the rod are heated simultaneously.

What minimum change in temperature of both will allow the
ring to be slipped onto the end of the rod?

25