FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

The first law of thermodynamics states that heat is a form of energy, and thermodynamic processes are
therefore subject to the principle of conservation of energy. This means that heat energy cannot be
created or destroyed. It can, however, be transferred from one location to another and converted to
and from other forms of energy.

Types of Energy Conversions

 Sound energy (from sound waves)

 Mechanical energy (walking, running)
 Electrical energy (from the movement of electrons in an atom)
 Light energy
 Nuclear energy (nuclear fusion and fission)
 Thermal energy (from heat)
 Chemical energy (fuel, gas, battery)

Examples of Energy Conversions

1. The sun transforms nuclear energy into electromagnetic energy (light, gamma rays, ultra violet
rays) and thermal energy.
2. Wind turbine converts mechanical energy of the wind to produce electrical energy.
3. The chemical energy of the food we eat is converted into mechanical energy and thermal
energy.
4. A microwave transforms electrical energy into thermal energy
5. During photosynthesis, light energy is converted into chemical energy.

In thermodynamics, energy is classified into the different types:

Work (W) – is the amount of energy transferred between the system and its surroundings by
mechanics.
Heat (Q) – is the energy transferred between a system and its surroundings due to a temperature
difference.
Internal energy (ΔU)- the total energy from all the atoms and molecules contained within a system.

This allows us to write a simple form for conservation of energy (or the first law of thermodynamics) as
ΔU= Q-W
(the change in the internal energy of a closed system is equal to the amount of heat supplied to the
system, minus the amount of work performed by the system on its surroundings)

The standard unit for all these quantities would be the joule.
Two ways to change the internal energy: with work and heat.

Internal energy of an object can be changed by the following methods:

1. It increases if energy is added to the system.

i.e. by heating or by doing work on the system.

2. It decreases if energy is removed from the system or work is done by the system.
i.e. Thus heat and work changes the internal energy of an object.

Heat and work, both, are energy. The difference is just the amount of ordered motion during the energy
transfer.

Unit of Energy
Energy is measured in Joules (J) or Calories (cal)
1 J = 1 kg m2s-2
A calorie (cal) is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 g of water by 1°C.
1cal = 4.184 J

Forms of energy

 Potential energy is the energy that a body possesses as a consequence of its position in a
gravitational field (e.g., water behind a dam).
 Kinetic energy is the energy that a body possesses as a consequence of its motion (e.g., wind
blowing across a wind generator). It is dependent upon an object's mass and velocity (e.g.,
moving water versus moving air).
THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 Around 1850 Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) stated that heat does
not spontaneously flow from a colder body to a hotter body.” Which became the basis
for the Second Law.

 The Second Law of Thermodynamics is about the quality of energy. It states that as
energy is transferred or transformed, more and more of it is wasted. The Second Law
also states that there is a natural tendency of any isolated system to degenerate into a
more disordered state.
 Enthalpy H, is the energy transferred between a system and the surroundings under
constant pressure.
 The formula for Enthalpy is change in H = mass x specific heat x
change in Temperature.
 If the Initial and final states have enthalpies Hi and Hf, respectively then
the change in enthalpy for the process can be defined as ΔH = Hf - Hi
 Entropy is traditionally introduced as a quantitative measure of disorder. It is also described
as a measure of energy dispersal.
 The formula for Entropy is change in Entropy (S)= change in energy
(Q)/Temperature
 Thermal energy is energy possessed by an object or system due to the movement of particles
within the object or the system. It is not in the process of being transferred; it is not in transit,
but remains as part of the internal energy of the system.
 Heat is the term we use to refer specifically to the transfer of thermal energy from one object or
a system to another, transfer being the key. It is energy in transit, i.e. energy in the process of
being transferred from a hotter system towards another colder system.
 The transfer of heat is normally from a high temperature object to a lower temperature object.
Heat transfer is given by Q, in Joules Heat (Q) = mass x specific heat x change in Temperature.
 Heat transfer occurs in three modes: the Convection, Conduction, Radiation.
 Reversible process is also called as the Ideal Process. The process in which the system and
surroundings can be restored to the initial state from the final state without producing any
changes in the thermodynamics properties of the universe.
 Irreversible Process is also called as the Natural process. The final state cannot be restored to its
initial state.
THIRD LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 the entropy of any pure substance in thermodynamic equilibrium approaches zero as

the temperature approaches zero

 the entropy of the pure crystal becomes zero at absolute zero temperature

Absolute zero temperature

 The lowest temperature, to which all the substances or gases can be cooled to, is called as
absolute zero temperature.

 There cannot be any temperature below this point and at this temperature all the movements
of all the molecules within the substance stop.

 Lord Kelvin devised the scale for absolute zero temperature and he concluded that absolute
zero temperature meant -273.15 degree Celsius. Later, by the international agreement a new
temperature scale was found by the name Kelvin. As per this scale absolute meant 0K or 0
degree Kelvin on Kelvin scale.

Entropy

 Entropy is the total energy inside the substance, which is not available for work during
thermodynamic process.

 It can be considered as the internal energy of the substance, which depends on the movement
of molecules inside the substance.

Third law of thermodynamics explained:

 A pure crystal is the substance in which all the molecules are perfectly identical and the
alignment of molecules with each other is perfectly uniform throughout the substance.

 As per the third law of thermodynamics when pure crystal is cooled to zero degree Kelvin, all the
movements of all the molecules stop completely and the entropy of the substance becomes
zero.

 In actuality there is no substance which has all the molecules identical and no movements of the
molecules are perfectly uniform.

Example: Steam is the gaseous form of water at high temperature. If you cool this steam to below
100 degree Celsius it will get converted into water, where the movement of the molecules will be
restricted resulting in decrease in entropy of water. When this liquid is further cooled to below zero
degrees Celsius, it gets converted into solid ice, where the movement of molecules is further reduced
and the entropy of the substance further reduces. As the temperature of this ice goes on reducing the
movement of the molecules and along with it the entropy of the substance goes on reducing. When this
is ice is cooled to absolute zero ideally the entropy should become zero.