Laws of Thermodynamics

Front

What determines whether a process is reversible?

Back

Entropy is the key factor that determines the reversibility of a process. A reversible process is one that can be reversed without any net change to the system and surroundings.

Front

What happens when water is heated to turn it into steam in a steam engine?

Back

The process is called expansion, where the volume of the gas increases as it turns into steam.

Front

In a heat engine, what is the gas inside the cylinder referred to as?

Back

The gas inside the cylinder is referred to as the System.

Front

Which type of substance has the least entropy?

Back

A solid at 0 K has the least entropy, as it is in a perfectly ordered state.

Front

What is the term for any process that increases the volume of a given mass of gas?

Back

The term is expansion.

Front

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

Back

The first law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

Front

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

Back

The second law states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time.

Front

What is thermal equilibrium?

Back

Thermal equilibrium is the state in which two objects in contact do not exchange heat, as they are at the same temperature.

Front

What is specific heat capacity?

Back

Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of a substance by one degree Celsius.

Front

What is an isothermal process?

Back

An isothermal process is one that occurs at a constant temperature.