Class 9

The First Law of Thermodynamics.

 Definition of the 1-st law of thermodynamics

The amount of heat received by the system is equal to the sum of the
change in its internal energy and the performance of work on external
bodies.
Q = ΔU + A

The first law of thermodynamics is a generalization of experimental

facts. If we are guided by it, we can say that energy does not arise and
does not disappear, but is transmitted from one system to another,
changing its forms. The impossibility of creating a perpetual motion
machine, is an important consequence of the first law of
thermodynamics. This is confirmed by the fact that each of the many
attempts to create such a device invariably ended in failure. A real
machine can do positive work A on external objects only by
receiving a certain amount of heat Q from the surrounding bodies or
by decreasing ΔU of its internal energy.
The first law of thermodynamics for an
isobaric process gives:
Q = U(T2) −U(T1) + p(V2 − V1) = ΔU + pΔV
With isobaric expansion Q > 0, heat is
absorbed by the gas, and gas does positive
work. At isobaric compression Q < 0, heat is
transferred to external bodies. In this case A <
0. At isobaric compression, the gas temperature
T2 <T1 and the value of the internal energy ΔU
<0
The first law of thermodynamics for an isothermal process
is expressed by the relation

Q=A

The heat Q acquired by the gas in the process of

isothermal expansion turns into work performed on
external objects. And vice versa, isothermal compression
leads to the transformation of the work of external forces
produced on the gas into heat transferred to the
surrounding bodies.
A device that has the ability to convert the received heat into mechanical work is
called a heat engine. In such machines, mechanical work is performed in the process
of expansion of a substance called a working fluid. Its role is usually played by
gaseous substances such as air, water vapor or a combustible mixture.
Based on the first law of thermodynamics, we can conclude that the amount of heat Q
received by the gas is completely converted into work A under the conditions of an
isothermal process, in which the internal energy does not undergo changes (ΔU = 0):

A=Q

However, such a single act of converting heat into work is not of interest to
technology. Existing heat engines such as steam engines, internal combustion engines
and others operate in a cyclical manner. Periodic repetition of the process of heat
transfer and conversion of the received heat into work is necessary. For this condition
to be fulfilled, the working fluid must perform a circular process or a thermodynamic
cycle in which the initial state c is periodically restored.
Thanks for attention