Physics
Chapter 15: 1-4 Assignment
Homework
Physics 15: 1-4 The Laws of Thermodynamics
Homework
- Reading Preparation
- Key Equations
- WebLecture
- Study Activity
- Chat Preparation Activities
- Chapter Quiz
- Lab Work
Reading Preparation
Text Reading: Giancoli, Physics - Principles with Applications, Chapter 15: Sections 1 to 4.
Study Points
- Section 1: The first law of thermodynamics is the conservation of energy. For any well-defined system, the total energy of the system remains constant as long as no matter or heat flows across the boundaries of the system. If either heat flows or matter changes shape with respect to the outside world, then the change in energy is the sum of the heat flow Q, plus the work done on the system by the environment (or vice versa). For a contained system, "work done" requires moving the boundaries of the system. So to do work, the volume of the system must change. As with other conservative systems, we don't need to work about the pathway for this process, only about the states before and after the change. The conservation of energy means that energy cannot be created: you can never get more energy out of system than you put in. Or to put it another way: you can't win.
- Section 2: Applications of the the first law involve looking at heat flow and work done under different conditions. We graph pressure vs. volume as we hold temperature constant (isothermic), hold pressure constant (isobaric), hold volume constant (isochoric or isovolumetric) and if no heat flows (adiabatic) so that we can determine which processes involve more work W = PΔV. Note that from this definition, isovolumetric (or isochoric) process involve no work, since ΔV = 0. Changes in pressure under these conditions results from heat flow due to temperature change.
- Section 3*: When animals do work, the rate at which energy is consumed changes depending on the amount of work done. Measurements of of kcal/h are measurements of energy/time, or power, and can be converted to joules/second or watts.
- Section 4: The second law of thermodynamics says heat tends to flow from a hot object to a cold object but not the other way. If you put energy into a system, you can't get all of it back out, so you can't break even.
Key Equations
- First Law of Thermodynamics
- Work done in Volume Changes
Web Lecture
Read the following weblecture before chat: Systems
Study Activity
Energy and Reversible Reactions: Experiment with different numbers of molecules in each chamber, and different heat settings. Use the Reversible Reactions simulation available at pHET. This Java Applet is filtered through a CheerpJ application so that it can run in your browser.
- Release materials into the reaction chamber and add heat. What happens during the reaction as you add or remove heat? How do the number of particles of A and B change? What happens to the average velocities of the gas particles (check species information to see the data!). Howe do the energy histograms change as your run the reaction backwards, converting B particles to A particles?
Physics simulation Java Applets are the product of the PHET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Optional Websites: Heat, Work, and the First Law of Thermodynamics gives a brief introduction to the research into energy inspired by the demands of the industrial revolution.
Chat Preparation Activities
- Forum question: The Moodle forum for the session will assign a specific study question for you to prepare for chat. You need to read this question and post your answer before chat starts for this session.
- Mastery Exercise: The Moodle Mastery exercise for the chapter will contain sections related to our chat topic. Try to complete these before the chat starts, so that you can ask questions.
Chapter Quiz
- The chapter quiz is not yet due.
Lab Work
If you want lab credit for this course, you must complete at least 18 labs; you may complete more if you are preparing for the AP exam.. One or more lab exercises are posted for each chapter as part of the homework assignment. We will be reviewing lab work at regular intervals, so do not get behind!
- Lab Instructions: Adiabatic Changes
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