Thermodynamics Lecture Notes

This set of flashcards covers essential vocabulary and concepts from a thermodynamics lecture, focusing on Gibbs and Helmholtz energies, spontaneity, and energy transformations.

Gibbs Energy (G)

A thermodynamic potential that measures the maximum reversible work obtainable from a closed system at constant temperature and pressure.

Helmholtz Energy (A)

A thermodynamic potential that measures the useful work obtainable from a closed system at constant temperature and volume.

Spontaneous Process

A process that occurs without external intervention, often characterized by a decrease in Gibbs energy.

Endothermic Process

A process in which heat is absorbed from the surroundings, resulting in a positive change in enthalpy.

Exothermic Process

A process that releases heat to the surroundings, resulting in a negative change in enthalpy.

Entropy (S)

A measure of the disorder or randomness in a system, often associated with the number of accessible microstates.

Maximum Non-Expansion Work

The maximum work that can be extracted from a system, excluding work done by systems expanding against external pressure.

Clausius Inequality

An expression in thermodynamics stating that the change in entropy (dS) is greater than or equal to the heat transfer (dQ) divided by absolute temperature (T) for spontaneous processes.

Isothermal Process

A process that occurs at a constant temperature.

Isochoric Process

A process that occurs at constant volume.

Chemical Potential

The change in free energy of a system when an additional amount of substance is introduced; relates to Gibbs energy.