Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is
the science that deals with heat and work and those properties of substance
that bear a relation to heat and work.
Thermodynamics is the study of the patterns of energy
change. Most of this course will be concerned with understanding the patterns
of energy change.
More specifically, thermodynamics deals with
(a) energy conversion and
(b) the direction of change.
Basis of thermodynamics is experimental observation. In
that sense it is an empirical science. The principles of thermodynamics are
summarized in the form of four laws known as zeroth, first, second, and the
third laws of thermodynamics.
The zeroth law of thermodynamics deals with thermal
equilibrium and provides a means of measuring temperature.
The first law of thermodynamics deals with the
conservation of energy and introduces the concept of internal energy.
The second law of thermodynamics dictates the limits on
the conversion of heat into work and
provides the yard stick to measure the performance of various processes. It
also tells whether a particular process is feasible or not and specifies the
direction in which a process will proceed. As a consequence it also
introduces the concept of entropy.
The third law defines the absolute zero of entropy.
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