Introduction To Thermodynamics First Law And Internal Energy

Key concepts for the “Introduction to Thermodynamics - First Law and Internal Energy”:

Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics

• Two systems in thermal equilibrium with a third system are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

First Law of Thermodynamics

• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can only be transferred or transformed from one form to another.
• For a thermodynamic system, the change in internal energy is equal to the heat added to the system minus the work done by the system.

Internal Energy

• The internal energy of a system is the sum of all the kinetic and potential energies of the particles within the system.
• Internal energy is dependent on the state of the system, and not on the path taken to reach that state.

Heat

• Heat is the transfer of thermal energy between two systems at different temperatures.
• Heat always flows from a higher-temperature system to a lower-temperature system.

Work

• Work is the transfer of energy between two systems through the application of force over a distance.
• Work can be done on a system by the surroundings, or by the system on the surroundings.

Isolated, Closed, and Open Systems

• An isolated system is one that does not exchange matter or energy with its surroundings.
• A closed system can exchange energy but not matter with its surroundings.
• An open system can exchange both energy and matter with its surroundings.