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Thermodynamics (from the Greek thermos meaning heat and dynamis meaning power) is a branch of physics that studies the effects of changes in temperature, pressure, and volume on physical systems at the macroscopic scale by analyzing the collective motion of their particles using statistics. Roughly, heat means "energy in transit" and dynamics relates to "movement"; thus, in essence thermodynamics studies the movement of energy and how energy instills movement. Historically, thermodynamics developed out of the need to increase the efficiency of early steam engines.
Overview
The starting point for most thermodynamic considerations are the laws of thermodynamics, which postulate that energy can be exchanged between physical systems as heat or work. They also postulate the existence of a quantity named entropy, which can be defined for any system. In thermodynamics, interactions between large ensembles of objects are studied and categorized. Central to this are the concepts of system and surroundings. A system is composed of particles, whose average motions define its properties, which in turn are related to one another through equations of state. Properties can be combined to express internal energy and thermodynamic potentials are useful for determining conditions for equilibrium and spontaneous processes.
With these tools, thermodynamics describes how systems respond to changes in their surroundings. This can be applied to a wide variety of topics in science and engineering, such as engines, phase transitions, chemical reactions, transport phenomena, and even black holes. The results of thermodynamics are essential for other fields of physics and for chemistry, chemical engineering, cell biology, biomedical engineering, and materials science to name a few.
History
More on [ Thermodynamics ]
Statistical Mechanics :: Mathematical Physics
Can I start a petition to scrap the 2nd law of thermodynamics?
bdcthomas (Benjamin Thomas) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:08:24 -0000
Can I start a petition to scrap the 2nd law of thermodynamics?
I am studying electrical engineering and thermodynamics .... I'm tired but happy
paulita6516 (Paula Guapacha) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:57:35 -0000
I am studying electrical engineering and thermodynamics .... I'm tired but happy
I think my brain just exploded while marking lab reports. How can you be in a thermodynamics course without understanding enthalpy?
gavin_h_c (Gavin H-C) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:19:01 -0000
I think my brain just exploded while marking lab reports. How can you be in a thermodynamics course without understanding enthalpy?
i know this is maybe 85th times twitting about but i'm again to study thermodynamics. this is how boring my school
iksdf (ugur erginer) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:28:40 -0000
i know this is maybe 85th times twitting about but i'm again to study thermodynamics. this is how boring my school
Thermodynamics in progress~ virial redlich soave peng robinson here i come!!!!!!!
faizjingga (Faiz Nasir) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:09:32 -0000
Thermodynamics in progress~ virial redlich soave peng robinson here i come!!!!!!!
tomorrow materials, ferrous n steel technology n thermodynamics exams. what a lovely day pfffff
iksdf (ugur erginer) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:42:42 -0000
tomorrow materials, ferrous n steel technology n thermodynamics exams. what a lovely day pfffff
A Concise History of Thermodynamics - An overview of the history/evolution of thermodynamics. This is an excerpt from a biography of J. Willard Gibbs. The overview is available from the site in MS Word or pdf/Acrobat format.
About Temperature - A very basic (prepared for the middle school math teachers) tutorial but still useful for professionals.
All Thermodynamics - from HyperPhysics portal. This is rather a comprehensive online physics handbook containing Thermodynamics chapter. Site has a handle navigation, good illustrations, and very detail content.
Applied Thermodynamics - Definition and short explanations of terms, units and basic principles.
Meta Description: [ Applied Thermodynamics, Energy, Power Plant, Combustion, Heat, Air Conditioning,
Turbine, Pump, Condenser, Heat Exchanger ]
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Basic Terms and Theory - from Engineers Edge. A definitions, short explanations and conection of basic thermodynamics therms.
Carnot cycle - Applet showing the physics processes of a Carnot heat engine by Fu-Kwun Hwang of the National Taïwan Normal University.
Meta Description: [ Carnot Cycle (Heat Engine) ]
Converter of physical unit. - Comprehensive converter of different physical units, including thermodynamics.
Meta Description: [ Convert units of heat ]
Fundamentals of Thermodynamics - Lecture notes and problems from University of Pittsburg.
Ideal Gas Law - Applet illustrating the ideal gas law : action of a piston in a pressure chamber filled with ideal gas.
Internal Combustion Engines Web Site - Thermodynamics and heat transfer in Internal combustion engine. Applets are used to perform simple calculations. Developed at Colorado State University.
Meta Description: [ Internal combustion engine. Internal combustion engines. Java applets are used to perform simple engines calculations. Developed at Colorado State University>
Properties of Heat and Matter - Online book on Thermodynamics at UC Berkeley.
The Expert System For Thermodynamics - TEST is a visual environment to solve thermodynamics problems, pursue what-if scenarios and perform numerical experiments.
Meta Description: [ Evaluate properties and analyze thermodynamic systems on line using smart calculators called daemons. Browse hundreds of animations to visualize thermodynamic systems. ]
The Second Law of Thermodynamics - A qualitative introduction to the second law and entropy written for beginners in chemistry but useful for physics students too. Explains relationship with Murphy's Law.
Thermo Fluids Engineering - web page of the division of the Eindhoven University of Technology which study processes where fluid flows and heat transfer play a prominent role.
Thermodynamics and Its Applications - Companion site to the textbook by J. W. Tester and M. Modell, includes answers to selected problems and current errata.
Meta Description: [ Web page for Thermodynamics and Its
Applications, by Jefferson W. Tester ]
Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics - Collection of educational sites explaining all aspects of thermodynamics.
Thermodynamics and Thermal Physics - About.com's index to thermodynamics information.
Meta Description: [ This GuideSite focuses on the science of physics, addressing the major theories of physics, laws of physics, physical equations, the scientific method, history of physics, and physics experiments, as well as advice in completing physics homework. ]
Thermodynamics from Prof. Ian Waitz - Basic thermodynamics course of 12 lectures, contains else the self-control questions with statistics of answers.
Thermodynamics Research Laboratory - Classical, Quantum, Nanoscale Statistical Thermodynamics Mechanics data and property calculation Sites.
Thermodynamics toys. - Study thermodynamics having a fan. This site contains a couple of interesting toys recepies with thermidynamics background.
Meta Description: [ Build a Film Can Cannon ]
| Lec 1 | MIT 5.60 Thermodynamics & Kinetics, Spring 2008 | |
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