Part I: Laws of Thermodynamics
The foundational laws that govern energy, heat, work, and entropy. From thermal equilibrium to the absolute zero of entropy, these principles underpin all of physical chemistry, engineering, and the behavior of the natural world.
Part Overview
Classical thermodynamics establishes universal laws about energy transformations. The zeroth law defines temperature, the first law conserves energy, the second law introduces entropy and irreversibility, and the third law anchors entropy at absolute zero. Together with thermodynamic cycles, these laws form the bedrock of physical science.
Key Topics
- • Zeroth, first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics
- • Internal energy, enthalpy, Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies
- • Maxwell relations and thermodynamic identities
- • Carnot, Otto, Diesel, Rankine, and Stirling cycles
- • PV diagrams, efficiency calculations, and entropy analysis
3 chapters | Laws, State Functions, and Cycles | Foundation for all thermodynamics
Chapters
Chapter 1: Laws of Thermodynamics
The zeroth law and thermal equilibrium, the first law (dU = $\delta Q - \delta W$), the second law and entropy ($dS \geq \delta Q / T$), and the third law ($S \to 0$ as $T \to 0$). Carnot cycle efficiency and entropy of mixing.
Chapter 2: State Functions & Potentials
Enthalpy $H = U + PV$, Helmholtz free energy $A = U - TS$, Gibbs free energy $G = H - TS$. Maxwell relations, Euler's relation, and the Gibbs-Duhem equation.
Chapter 3: Thermodynamic Cycles
Carnot, Otto, Diesel, Rankine, Stirling, and refrigeration cycles. PV diagrams, efficiency derivations, and real-world engine applications.