BPHS0016

ELEMENTARY STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND THERMAL PHYSICS

Class No: 14
Topic: Third Law of Thermodynamics
 Basics of Thermal Physics
S.No Contents

1 Effect of temperature on entropy

2 Third Law of thermodynamics
3 Nernst’s heat theorem
 Effect of Temperature on entropy

If temperature increases then entropy of the system increases.

If temperature decreases then entropy of the system decreases.
 Third Law of thermodynamics:
Nernst’s Heat theorem
In 1906, Nernst proposed a general principle supported by series of experimental evidences on
the problem of atomic heat at low temperature.

Actually, it was proposed as “new heat theorem” but its importance is so great that
today it is recognized as “third law of thermodynamics”.

Statement: The heat capacities of all solids tend to zero as the absolute zero of
temperature is approached and that the internal energies and entropies of all substances
become equal there, approaching their common value tending to zero. It is called as third law
of thermodynamics.

This theorem is useful in explaining the nature of bodies in neighbourhood of absolute zero
temperature.

It permits the calculation of absolute values of entropy, Helmholtz and Gibbs’s free energies
etc.
 Nernst’s Heat theorem

At absolute zero temperature, the entropy tends to zero

and the molecules of a substance or a system are in perfect
order (Well Arranged).
 Quiz
Q. No Question
1 When temperature decreases, entropy increases. (T/F)
2 At absolute zero temperature, molecules of substance have
maximum disorderness. (T/F)
3 At absolute zero, entropy is equal to ………