Summary#

In this course we have introduced the main ideas of classical thermodynamics, including the definition of temperature, the phenomena of thermal expansion and phase changes, the basics of kinetic theory of gases, the laws of thermodynamics and the analysis of heat engines. This section contains a brief summary of what you should know in order to do questions that you may be asked in an exam.

What you need to know#

Having completed this course, you should know:

  • the laws of thermodynamics;

  • the definition of coefficient of thermal expansion (linear and volume) and how to use it;

  • the definitions of heat capacity, specific heat capacity and molar heat capacity;

  • the definition of latent heat;

  • the three ways in which heat can be transferred, and how they work;

  • the definition of thermal conductivity;

  • Stefan’s law of blackbody radiation;

  • the definition of an ideal gas;

  • what is meant by equipartition of energy, and how this relates to specific heat;

  • what is meant by a function of state;

  • the definitions of isobaric, isothermal, isochoric and adiabatic processes, and how to use them in calculations;

  • what is meant by the thermal efficiency of a heat engine, and how to calculate it;

  • the relationship between heat engines and heat pumps or refrigerators;

  • the (thermodynamic) definition of entropy.

What you should be able to do#

You should be able to:

  • do calculations involving thermal expansion;

  • do calculations involving specific and latent heat;

  • calculate heat transfer by conduction (using thermal conductivity) and radiation (using Stefan’s law);

  • derive the ideal gas law;

  • relate the molar heat capacity of a substance to the number of active degrees of freedom;

  • do calculations involving heat engines, in particular the amount of work done and the thermal efficiency;

  • calculate entropy changes in thermodynamic processes

What you do not need to know#

You do not need to know the mathematical details of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution as worked out in Section The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, nor specific details of the Stirling or Brayton cycles.