Laws of Thermodynamics

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on the laws of thermodynamics, including definitions and fundamental principles.

Perpetual Motion Machine

A theoretical machine that can do work indefinitely without an external energy source.

First Law of Thermodynamics

States that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

States that the entropy of a closed system always increases, meaning energy spreads out and useful work diminishes.

Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics

States that if two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third system, then they are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

Entropy

A measure of disorder or randomness in a system; higher entropy means less available energy for work.

Absolute Zero

The theoretical temperature at which a perfect crystal has zero entropy, defined as 0 Kelvin or -273.15 degrees Celsius.

Thermal Equilibrium

A state in which two or more systems have the same temperature and no heat flows between them.

Capillary Action

The ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces against gravity, due to adhesion and cohesion forces.

Thermal Shock

A phenomenon where rapid temperature changes cause stress that can lead to material failure, such as breaking glass.

Heat Death of the Universe

A theoretical state in the far future where the universe reaches thermal equilibrium and no more work can be done because energy is uniformly distributed.