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Thermal Physics Equations: 1. Ideal Gas Law

1. The document outlines several key equations and concepts in thermal physics, including the ideal gas law, kinetic theory of gases, Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, van der Waals equation, heat transfer, entropy, and thermodynamic processes. 2. Key relationships defined include the temperature dependence of molecular kinetic energy according to kinetic theory, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of molecular speeds, relationships between heat capacity and entropy for different processes, and the use of specific heat to characterize energy changes in gases. 3. Different thermodynamic processes are characterized for ideal gases, including isobaric, isochoric, isothermal, and adiabatic processes, defining which properties remain constant and how energy is

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Thanh Ngân
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54 views6 pages

Thermal Physics Equations: 1. Ideal Gas Law

1. The document outlines several key equations and concepts in thermal physics, including the ideal gas law, kinetic theory of gases, Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, van der Waals equation, heat transfer, entropy, and thermodynamic processes. 2. Key relationships defined include the temperature dependence of molecular kinetic energy according to kinetic theory, the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of molecular speeds, relationships between heat capacity and entropy for different processes, and the use of specific heat to characterize energy changes in gases. 3. Different thermodynamic processes are characterized for ideal gases, including isobaric, isochoric, isothermal, and adiabatic processes, defining which properties remain constant and how energy is

Uploaded by

Thanh Ngân
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Thermal physics equations

1. Ideal Gas Law:

P = Pressure of the Gas (SI: Pa = M/m2; 1 atm =101.3 kPa)


V = Volume of the Gas (SI: m3; 1 liter = 10-3 m3 = 1000 cm3)
T = Temperature of the Gas (SI: K; oC = K - 273.15)
N = Number of molecules in the Gas
k = Boltzmann's Constant (SI: k = 1.38x10 -23 J/K)
n = number of gram moles in the Gas
R = Universal Gas Constant ( R = 8.314 J/mole/K)
NA = 6.022x1023 molecules/mole (Avogadro's Number)
M = Molecular Weight of the Gas in grams per mole
m = mass of the Gas (SI: kg; 1 g = 10-3 kg)
Useful Relations

2. Kinetic Theory of Gases

• The Temperature of a gas is a measure of the Average Kinetic Energy of the


molecules that make up the gas.

• This relation is only valid for a monatomic molecule like Helium.

PHAS1228 – Thermal Physics 1


Equipartition-of-Energy Theorem for an Ideal Gas

• For each mode (degree of freedom) in which a molecule can store energy, the
average internal energy per mode is 1/2 kT

Monatomic Molecule Rigid Diatomic Molecule Vibrating Diatomic Molecule

Molecular Velocities:

= Normal average or mean speed. Half the molecules have speed greater than vav
vav and half are slower.
= The square root of the average of the square of the velocity of the molecules in
vrms the gas.
vp = The speed at which the largest number of molecules move.

Maxwell - Boltzmann velocity distribution:

dNv(v)/N ~ v2 exp(-KE/kT)dv

Boltzmann distribution law: n(E) = n0 × exp( -E/kBT)

Energy states: Ni/Nj = exp×{-(Ei – Ej)/kBT}

3. Interactions between atoms

Lennard-Jones potential:
σ σ
U(r) = 4εε [( )12 − ( )6
r r

ε is the binding energy.

PHAS1228 – Thermal Physics 2


4. van der Waals equation

(P + an2/V2)(V - nb) = nRT

The constant "a" is a correction term for intermolecular force and "b" is a correction for
the real volume of the gas molecules.

The observed pressure is less than the pressure would be without the intermolecular
forces, i.e. in ideal gas:
nRT an 2
P= − 2
V − nb V
a and b are empirical constants obtained for each gas so that vdW equation gives a
good fit to the experimental PVT data.

Parameter “b” in vdW equation can be viewed as “excluded” volume in a gas sample
due to the presence of molecules.

1 4 3 1 4 4
Excluded volume per molecule = ( πd ) = [ (2r )3 ] = 4( πr 3 ) .
2 3 2 3 3

5. Thermal expansion
Average coefficient of linear expansion, α
If the initial length of the object was Li and the temperature change ∆T, then the length
will increase by the amount ∆L = αLi∆T
The change in volume at constant pressure is proportional to initial volume Vi and to the
change in temperature according to similar relation: ∆V = βVi∆T
β is the average coefficient of volume expansion, β = 3 α

6. Thermal conduction

= Heat Flow (SI: J/s = W)

k = Thermal Conductivity of the Substance (SI: W/m oC)


(The bigger the value of k, the larger the heat flow)
A = Cross-sectional Area of Surface Perpendicular to the
heat flow (SI: m 2)
L = Distance in the medium through which the heat flows
(SI: m)

PHAS1228 – Thermal Physics 3


Th = Temperature of the hotter end/surface of the substance
(SI: oC)
Tc = Temperature of the cooler end/surface of the substance
(SI: oC)
R= L/k = Thermal Resistance or Insulation's R-value. The bigger
the R-value, the smaller the heat flow. (SI: (W/m 2 o C)-1)
Building Materials' R-value is measured in units of
(BTU/hr ft 2 oC)-1.

Heat Flow Through Compound Layers:

7. First Law

Q = ∆U + W

U – internal energy of the system

W - Work done by (or on) one system on another system

OUT: W>0 System Does External Work Sys --> Work

INTO: W<0 Work Done on the System Work --> Sys

Work done by a Gas


:

Q - Microscopic Energy flow into (or out of) the System

INTO: Q > 0 System Absorbs Heat Heat --> Sys


OUT: Q < 0 System Releases Heat Sys --> Heat

For a system insulated from surroundings:


mAcA∆TA + mBcB∆TB + mCcC∆TA + … = 0

PHAS1228 – Thermal Physics 4


8. Efficiencies of heat engines & heat pumps

9. Entropy

Adiabatic and Reversible : (Isentropic Process)

Isothermal: (Phases Changes)

(For Solids and Liquids,


Constant Pressure :
C is approximately constant)

Ideal Gas
for any type of
Quasi-Equilibrium Processes:

PHAS1228 – Thermal Physics 5


THERMODYNAMIC PROCESSES FOR AN IDEAL GAS

PVn = Constant
Process Isobaric Isochoric Isothermal Adiabatic
Variable => Pressure Volume Temperature. No Heat
Flow
Quantity ∆P = 0 ∆V = 0 ∆T = 0 Q=0
Constant =>
n 0 1 γ = Cp/Cv
First Law ∆U = Q - W ∆U = Q ∆U = 0 ∆U = -W
W=0 Q=W Q=0
Work

Heat Flow

Q 0
Heat 0
Capacity
Internal
Energy
0
Entropy

0*

Ideal Gas
Relations

* For Adiabatic Reversible Processes


n cp = m C p n cv = m C v cp - c v = R nR=Nk

γ = Cp/Cv = c p/cv = Ratio of Specific Heats

Cp = Constant Pressure Specific Heat Capacity (J/kg/ oC)


Cv = Constant Volume Specific Heat Capacity (J/kg/ oC)
cp = Molar Constant Pressure Heat Capacity (J/mole/oC)
cv = Molar Constant Volume Heat Capacity (J/mole/oC)

PHAS1228 – Thermal Physics 6

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