Physics » E. Thermal Physics » E.2. Laws of Thermodynamics

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Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics (the law of thermal equilibrium)

• Overview
• Determining the direction of heat flow for two or more objects in contact with each other

The First Law of Thermodynamics

• Overview
• Solving problems involving the change in internal energy of a system using ΔU = Q – W

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

• Overview
• Solving problems involving the change in entropy of a system using the equation ΔS = S_final- S_initial
• Solving problems involving the change in entropy of a system using the equation ΔS =  (q_rev) / (T) where q_rev is the heat added to a reversible process
• Recognizing examples of the second law of thermodynamics

Applications of the Laws of Thermodynamics

• Solving problems involving the amount of work done by an ideal gas using the equation W = PΔV
• Solving problems involving the amount of work done by calculating the area under a P vs. V graph
• Solving problems involving the amount of work done by a heat engine using the equation W_net= Q_h - Q_c
• Measuring the efficiency of a heat engine using the equation eff = 1 – (Q_c) / (Q_h)