ME 231

Thermodynamics-I

Lecture 2
Fall 2019
System
• A system is defined as a quantity
of matter or a region in space
chosen for study.

• The mass or region outside the

system is called surroundings.

• The real or imaginary surface

that separates the system from
its surroundings is called the
boundary. (very thin and has no
mass or volume)
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 Types of System
System classification depends on either fixed mass or fixed volume
is chosen for study.

System

Closed System Open System

(Control mass) (Control volume)

An isolated system does not allow mass and energy to transfer

across the boundary.

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 Closed System
• A closed system consists of a
fixed amount of mass, and no
mass can cross boundary but the
energy can cross it.

• The volume of a closed system

does not have to be fixed.

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 Open System
• An open system, is a selected
region in space with the ability of
having a variable mass.

• It usually encloses a device that

involves mass flow such as a
compressor, turbine, or nozzle.

• Both mass and energy can cross the

boundary of a control volume.

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Open System (2)

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Properties of a System
Any characteristics of a system is called its property.
For example, mass, volume, temperature, pressure.

Properties of
System

Intensive Properties Extensive Properties

(Independent of mass) (Depends on mass)

Pressure, Temperature mass, volume, momentum

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 Specific Volume
• Extensive properties are made intensive by dividing
them with mass. For example,

Q: Why CNG is filled in kilograms and not in liters or

cubic meters?

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 State
• The condition of a system described
by its properties is called state of the
system.

• A state can be specified by providing

the property numerical values.

• At a given state, all the properties of

system have a fixed value.

• If one of the property is changed, the

state changes.
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 State Postulate
• How many properties are required to describe a
state?

Example
• Two independent, intensive properties
are required to describe the state of a
simple compressible system.

Simple system: No electrical, magnetic, gravitational, motion,

and surface tension effects.
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 Equilibrium state
• If there is no unbalanced potentials (i.e. driving force)
in a system, the state of the system is in equilibrium.

• Thermal equilibrium

• Mechanical equilibrium

• Phase equilibrium

• Chemical equilibrium

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