PHY 131: Temperature & The Gas Laws, Heat Transfer, and Sound

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes regarding temperature, gas laws, heat transfer, and the nature of sound.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance.

Thermal Equilibrium

A state where no heat flows between bodies because they are at the same temperature.

Thermal Conductivity

The capacity of an object to conduct heat.

Conduction

Heat transfer through direct contact between materials.

Convection

Heat transfer by the actual movement of molecules.

Radiation

Heat transfer through space without the need for a medium.

Coefficient of Linear Expansion

A measure of how much a material expands per degree of temperature increase.

Specific Heat

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a unit mass by 1 °C.

Latent Heat

The amount of heat required for a substance to undergo a phase change.

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy in a closed system is conserved; the change in internal energy is equal to the heat added to the system minus the work done by the system.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Heat flows spontaneously from hot to cold, increasing the entropy of the system.

Third Law of Thermodynamics

Entropy approaches a constant value as temperature approaches absolute zero.

Sound Wave

A longitudinal wave that requires a medium to travel and creates pressure differences as it moves.

Speed of Sound

Determined by the temperature and medium in which it travels; typically about 343 m/s in air at 20 °C.

Decibel

A unit of measure for sound intensity, reflecting the logarithmic scale of sound pressure.