Some Key Definitions And Concepts
Before we dive into the Laws of Thermodynamics, there are some key definitions and concepts that we must understand. These are given below. System and Surroundings In order to avoid confusion, scientists discuss thermodynamic values in reference to a system and its surroundings. Everything that is not a part of the system constitutes its surroundings. The system and surroundings are separated by a boundary. If matter is not able to pass across the boundary, then the system is said to be closed; otherwise, it is open. For example, if the system is one mole of a gas in a container, then the boundary is simply the inner wall of the container itself. Everything outside of the boundary is considered the surroundings, which would include the container itself. Thermodynamic States: The application of thermodynamic principles begins by defining a system that is in some sense distinct from its surroundings. For example, the system could be a sample of gas inside a cy...