Thermal Physics

Boyle’s Law

For a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature, the volume is inversely proportional to the applied pressure.

Pressure Law

For a fixed mass of gas at constant volume, the pressure is directly proportional to the absolute temperature.

Charles’ Law

For a fixed mass of gas at constant pressure, the volume is directly proportional to the absolute temperature.

Mole

The amount of substance which contains the same number of particles as there are atoms in 0.012kg of carbon-12 (Avogadro's number).

Ideal Gas

Theoretical gas - no intermolecular forces; molecules have negligible volume; collisions are elastic; time of collisions is negligible; molecules have constant velocity between collisions. Ideal gas molecules have zero potential energy.

Absolute Zero

0 Kelvin or -273°C, the temperature at which all molecular motion stops.

Internal Energy

Sum of the kinetic and potential energies of molecules.

Specific Heat Capacity

The quantity of heat energy (J) required to raise the temperature of 1kg of the substance by 1 Kelvin.