PHY 255 — THERMODYNAMICS
BSc BSc Physics · Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Specific heat. Mechanical equivalent of heat. Specific heat of a gas at constant pressure and constant volume. The adiabatic equation. Internal energy. Generalised concept of work. The first law as statement of conservation of energy. Fundamental equation. Internal energy and entropy representation. Extensive and intensive variables. Equation of state. Examples of the Carnot cycle. Carnot’s theorem and corollary. The Kelvin temperature scale. Entropy as a function of state Clausius theorem. Entropy and statement of the second law of thermodynamics. Principle of caratheordory. Entropy and reversibility. Entropy and equilibrium. Principle of increase of entropy. Entropy and unavailability of energy. Entropy and disorder. Entropy and direction of time. Entropy flow and entropy production. Introduction to irreversible thermodynamics. Reversible and irreversible processes. Conditions for thermal and mechanical equilibria. Isentropic, adiabatic and isothermal processes. The Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies; enthalpy. Legendre transformations of the thermodynamic potentials. Physical significance of the potentials. The Maxwell relations. Thermal expansivity. Isothermal and adiabatic compressibilities, heat capacities at constant pressure and volume. Gibbs free energy and phase transitions. First- and second-order phase transitions. Examples. The Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Polymorphic transitions (Ice, carbon, etc) Methods of liquefaction of gases: Joule – Thompson cooling; Adiabatic demagnetization of paramagnetic states. Measurement of low temperatures. Introduction to superfluidity and superconductivity. Heat pumps. Refrigeration. Freeze-drying. Pressure cooking. Thermoelectricity. Solid state refrigerators
- Credits
- 2
- Level
- Level 200
Other courses on this programme
- FC 281 — FRENCH FOR COMMUNICATION III
- FC 282 — FRENCH FOR COMMUNICATION IV
- PHY 251 — ELECTRONICS I
- PHY 252 — ELECTRONICS II
- PHY 253 — CLASSICAL MECHANICS I
- PHY 254 — CLASSICAL MECHANICS II
- PHY 256 — E.M. THEORY
- PHY 259 — MATHEMATICS FOR PHYSICS III
- PHY 260 — MATHEMATICS FOR PHYSICS IV
- PHY 261 — PROGRAMMING WITH PASCAL I
- PHY 262 — PROGRAMING WITH PASCAL II
- PHY 263 — NUCLEAR PHYSICS
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