Thermal Physics Flashcards
(153 cards)
system
a portion of the universe with certain measurable quantities such as pressure or volume which determine the equilibrium state of the system
surroundings
the rest of the universe outwith the system
system + surroundings =
universe
isolated system
a system that does not interact with its surroundings by exchanging heat energy, mechanical energy or material
closed system
energy but not material can be exchanged
adiabatic wall
system is thermally isolated and only mechanical energy (not heat) can be exchanged with the surroundings (eg vacuum flask)
diathermal wall
heat exchange is permitted, systems connected by a diathermal wall are in thermal contact (eg a metal wall)
think “dia” prefix meaning interaction, eg DIAlogue
equilibrium
all bulk physical properties are uniform throughout the system, they are time independent
macroscopic
large scale or bulk properties of a gas eg pressure, volume, temperature
one number exists
microscopic
properties on the atomic level, eg Vrms or Vmp
state variables
define the state of a system
intensive: independent of size of system (eg pressure, tension)
extensive: proportional to size of the system (eg volume or length)
conjugate variables
think of conjugate verbs as pairing up
equilibrium states of thermodynamic systems are determined by suitable pairs of conjugate variables
one variable intensive, other extensive
examples of conjugate variables
pressure and volume for a gas
tension and length for a stretched wire
product of all conjugate pairs…
has dimensions of energy
function of state
any quantity which takes unique value for each equilibrium state of a system
eg internal energy U or entropy S
functions of state depend only on
the state itself and not on how that state was produced
eg pressure, volume, temperature
why is heat not a function of state
because it is associated with a transfer of energy between states
if two systems are put in thermal contact…
generally changes occur in both
eg coffee cools down as room heats up slightly
two systems in thermal contact after some time
no further changes occur and the two systems are said to be in thermal equilibrium
heat
form of energy transferred between substances due to temperature differences between them
if two objects are not in thermal equilibrium, heat flows…
from hotter object to the colder object until thermal equilibrium is reached
temperature
property which determines whether or not a system is in thermal equilibrium with other systems
zeroth law of thermodynamics
if two systems are separately in thermal equilibrium with a third system then they must also be in thermal equilibrium with each other
three systems said to have same temperature T
conditions for thermal equilibrium
- thermal equilibrium - same temp
- mechanical equilibrium - no unbalanced forces acting
- chemical equilibrium - no chemical reactions occurring