Section 1: Theory of Heat

Unit 2: Matter and Energy

 Objectives
• After studying this chapter, you should
be able to:
– Define matter
– List the three states in which matter is
commonly found
– Define density
– Discuss Boyle’s Law
– State Charles’ Law
 Objectives (cont’d.)
– Discuss Dalton’s Law as it relates to the
pressure of different gases
– Define specific gravity and specific volume
– State two forms of energy important to the
air -conditioning (heating and cooling) and
refrigeration industry
 Objectives (cont’d.)
– Describe work and state the formula used
to determine the amount of work in a given
task define horsepower
– Convert horsepower to watts
– Convert watts to British thermal units
 Matter
• Described as any substance that
occupies space and has mass
• Is made up of atoms
• Exists as a solid, liquid or a gas
• The state of matter is determined by
heat content of the matter
 Solids

Figure 2.1 Solids exert all their pressure downward. The molecules of
solid water have a great attraction for each other and hold together
 Liquids

Figure 2.2 The water in the container

exerts pressure outward and downward.
The outward pressure is what makes water
seek its own level. The water molecules still
have a small amount of adhesion to each
other. The pressure is proportional to the
depth
 Gases

Figure 2.3 Gas molecules travel

at random. When a container with
a small amount of gas pressure is
opened, the gas molecules seem
to repel each other and fly out
 Important Definitions
• Mass: property of matter that responds
to gravitational attraction
• Weight: force that matter (solid, liquid,
or gas) applies to a supporting surface
when it is at rest
• Density: mass to volume relationship
– Water has a density of 62.4 lb/ft3
 Key Definitions (cont’d.)
• Specific gravity: density of a substance
divided by the density of water
• Specific volume: volume of one pound
of a gas (measured in ft3/lb)
 Specific Gravity
• Example:
– Density of water = 62.4 lb/ft3
– Density of aluminum = 171 lb/ft3
– Specific gravity of aluminum:
• Density of aluminum / Density of water = (171
lb/ft3)/(62.4 lb/ft3) = 2.74
– Specific gravity is unitless

–
Typical Densities and Specific
Gravities

Figure 2–4 Table of density and specific gravity.

 Gas Laws
• Always use absolute pressures and
temperatures when working with gas laws
– Boyle’s Law: relates pressure and volume
– Charles’ Law: relates volume and
temperature
– General Law of Perfect Gases: relates
pressure, volume and temperature
– Dalton’s Law: relates pressures of gases in a
mixture
Boyle’s Law
 Boyle’s Law (cont’d.)

Figure 2–5 Absolute pressure in a cylinder doubles when the volume is

reduced by half.
Charles’ Law
 Charles’ Law (cont’d.)
• If V1 = 2000 ft3, T1 = 535R and T2 = 590R:
– V2 = (V1 x T2)/ T1 = (2000 ft3 x 590 R)/ 535 R
– V2 = 1,180,000 / 535 = 2205.6 ft3

Figure 2–6 Air expands when heated.

 General Law of Perfect Gas
• Combination of Boyle’s and Charles’ Laws
 Dalton’s Law

Figure 2–7 Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures.The total pressure is the

sum of the individual pressures of each gas.
 Energy
• Electrical energy drives motors and
pumps in HVAC/R systems
– Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but
can be converted from one type to another
• Heat energy provides comfort heating and flows
from a warmer substance to a cooler substance
• Electrical energy purchased by the kWh, fuel oil
by the gallon, natural gas by the cubic foot
 Energy (cont’d.)

Figure 2–11 (A) If two substances of different temperatures are moved close to
each other, heat from the substance with the higher temperature will flow to the one
with the lower temperature. (B) Heat energy is still available at these low
temperatures and will transfer from the warmer substance to the colder substance.
 Work
• Work = Force x Distance
– Force is given in pounds, distance in feet
– The units of work are foot-pounds, ft-lbs
– Example: How much work is done to move
a 150-pound object 100 feet?
• Work = Force x Distance = 150 pounds x 100
feet
• Work = 150 x 100 = 15,000 ft-lbs
 Power
• The rate at which work is done
– Work per unit time, ft-lbs/min
– Rated in horsepower
• 1 hp = 33,000 ft-lbs/min
• Electrical power measured in watts
– 1 hp = 746 watts
– 1 watt = 3.413 Btu
– 1 kW = 3,413 Btu
 Power (cont’d.)

Figure 2–13 When a horse can lift 660 lb to a height of 50 ft in 1 min, it has
done the equivalent of 33,000 ft-lb of work in 1 min, or 1 hp.
 Summary
• Matter takes up space, has mass, and
can be in the form of a solid, a liquid, or
a gas
– Key terms
• Weight
• Mass
• Density
• Specific gravity
• Specific volume
 Summary (cont’d.)
• Key laws
– Boyle’s Law
– Charles’ Law
– General Law of Perfect Gases
– Dalton’s Law
 Summary (cont’d.)
• Electrical energy and heat energy are
two forms of energy
– Key measurements
• Measurements of fossil fuels, natural gas, coal,
and electricity
• Work = Force x Distance
• Horsepower
• Watts
• Btu