Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on
your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge
Him, and He will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5–6
PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS
Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is the study of
heat and work. Heat is a transfer of
energy due to a difference of
temperature. Work is a transfer of
energy by mechanical means, not
due to a temperature difference.
The first law of thermodynamics
links the two in a general statement
of energy conservation: the heat Q
added to a system minus the net
work W done by the system equals
the change in internal energy
of the system: ΔU = Q - W
Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is the name we give to the
study of processes in which energy is
transferred as heat and as work.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
The change in internal energy of a closed
system, will be equal to the energy added to
the system by heating minus the work done
by the system on the surroundings.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
https://youtube.com/watch?v=DKF5dKo_r_Y&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
The First Law of Thermodynamics
This equation is known as the first law of
thermodynamics. It is one of the great laws
of physics.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Since Q and W represent energy transferred
into or out of the system, the internal energy
changes accordingly.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Thus, the first law of thermodynamics is a
general statement of the law of conservation
of energy.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
The First Law of Thermodynamics
To write the first law of thermodynamics in a
more complete form, consider a system that
is moving so it has kinetic energy KE, and
suppose there is also potential energy PE.
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Then the first law of thermodynamics would
have to include these terms and would be
written as
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Thermodynamic Processes
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
First we consider an
idealized process, such
as adding heat or doing
work, that is carried out
at constant
temperature.
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
Such a process is called an isothermal
process (from the Greek meaning “same
temperature”).
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
If the system is an ideal gas, then
PV=nRT (ideal gas law)
so for a fixed amount of gas kept at constant
temperature, PV=constant.
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
Thus a graph of
pressure P vs. volume
V, a PV diagram, would
follow a curve like AB in
Fig. 15–2 for an
isothermal process.
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
If the gas is initially in a
state represented by
point A in Fig. 15–2, and
an amount of heat Q is
added to the system, the
pressure and volume will
change and the state of
the system will be
represented by another
point, B, on the diagram.
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
If the temperature is to
remain constant, the
gas will expand and do
an amount of work W
on the environment (it
exerts a force on the
piston in Fig. 15–1 and
moves it through a
distance).
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
Thus a graph of
pressure P vs. volume
V, a PV diagram, would
follow a curve like AB in
Fig. 15–2 for an
isothermal process.
Isothermal Processes (ΔT=0)
For an ideal gas, the temperature and mass
are kept constant so, the internal energy
does not change:
ΔU = nRΔT = nCvΔT = 0
Hence,
Q=W
Adiabatic Processes (Q=0)
An adiabatic process is one in which no heat
is allowed to flow into or out of the system:
This situation can occur if the system is
extremely well insulated, or the process
happens so quickly that heat—which flows
slowly—has no time to flow in or out.
Adiabatic Processes (Q=0)
An adiabatic expansion
of an ideal gas done
very slowly can be
represented by a curve
like that labeled AC in
Fig. 15–3. Since Q = 0,
ΔU = -W
Isobaric and Isovolumetric Processes
Two other simple
thermodynamic processes
are illustrated on the PV
diagrams of Fig. 15–4: (a)
an isobaric process is one
in which the pressure is
kept constant,
Isobaric and Isovolumetric Processes
(b) an isovolumetric (or
isochoric) process is one in
which the volume does not
change.
Work Done in Volume Changes
It is often valuable to calculate the work
done in a process. If the pressure is kept
constant during a process (isobaric), the
work done is easily calculated.
Work Done in Volume Changes
For example, if the gas in
Fig. 15–5 expands very
slowly against the piston, the
work done by the gas to
raise the piston is the force
F times the distance d.
Work Done in Volume Changes
But the force is just the
pressure P of the gas times
the area A of the piston,
Thus,
W = Fd = PAd
Work Done in Volume Changes
Note that Ad = ΔV, the
change in volume of the gas,
so
W = PΔV
This equation is applicable
for gas compressed at
constant pressure.
Work Done in Volume Changes
If the process is isovolumetric of isochoric
process, the W = 0.
For isothermal process, the W done
W = nRT = nRT ln
Brief Summary of the Processes
Example Problems
Example Problems
Assignment
To watch
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4i1MUWJoI0U&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
Seat Work
An monoatomic ideal gas (n = 2 mol) undergoes a
cyclic process having an initial temperature of 303.15
K. It is then cooled at a constant pressure of 2.0 atm
from 12.0 L to 4.0 L arriving at 298.15K. Heat is further
added to the gas, holding the volume constant, and
the pressure and temperature are allowed to rise at 6
atm and 303.15 K, respectively. Lastly, the gas expand
isothermally until 2 atm pressure is achieved. Find the
a) internal energy change, b) work, and c) heat, for
each step and the total for the whole cycle.
References
• Giancoli, D. (2014). Physics: Principles
with Application
• Young, H., Freedman, R. (2012).
University Physics with Modern Physics
