Thermal physics and thermodynamics

Carnot cycle

an idealized model of a heat engine that achieves the maximum possible efficiency for given reservoir temperatures

Carnot efficiency

the maximum possible efficiency of a heat engine operating between two temperatures, Th (hot reservoir) and Tc (cold reservoir)

Conduction

the transfer of thermal energy through a material without the movement of the material itself

Convection

the transfer of thermal energy through the movement of fluid particles, driven by differences in density

First law of thermodynamics

the total energy of an isolated system is constant it cannot be created or destroyed(ΔU=Q−W)

Heat

Energy transfer due to a temperature

Heat/Thermal capacity (C)

amount of energy required to change the temperature of a body by unit temperature ΔQ/ΔT or mc

Ideal gas law

the equation of state of a hypothetical ideal gas which relates the pressure, volume, temperature, and amount of substance in a gas

Internal/thermal energy (Q)

the sum of kinetic energy and potential energy of a substance and is the result of the motion of the particles which make up the substance (Ekt+Ekr+Ep)

Kinetic theory of matter

All objects are made up of atoms and molecules

Particles are constantly in random motion

Matter

has a mass and occupies space (solid, liquid, gas and plasma)

Molar mass (M)

mass of one mole

Mole

the amount of substance containing as many particles (atoms, molecules, etc.) as there are atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12

Number of moles (n)

m/M or N(number of particles)/Na(avagadro constant)

Radiation

the transfer of thermal energy through electromagnetic waves, without the need for a medium

Specific heat capacity (c)

the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of the substance by 1 K. (ΔQ/mΔT)

Specific latent heat L

the energy required to change the phase of 1 kg of a substance at constant temperature

Temperature (T)

Average kinetic energy per molecule

The second law of thermodynamics

in any natural process, the total entropy of an isolated system always increases or remains constant in ideal reversible processes