Physics: Thermodynamics & Modern Physics Flashcards

What does the first law of thermodynamics state?

Answer: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed

The first law of thermodynamics is a restatement of the principle of conservation of energy. It asserts that energy cannot be created or destroyed within an isolated system. Instead, energy can only be transformed from one form to another, such as from chemical potential energy to kinetic energy or heat.

What is entropy?

Answer: The disorder or randomness of a system

Entropy is a thermodynamic property that quantifies the degree of disorder or randomness in a system. A higher entropy value indicates a greater number of possible microscopic arrangements for the system's particles, reflecting a more chaotic or less ordered state. It is a measure of the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work.

What is the relationship between temperature and kinetic energy?

Answer: Temperature increases with increasing kinetic energy

Temperature is a macroscopic measure directly related to the average translational kinetic energy of the particles (atoms or molecules) within a substance. As the particles move faster and possess higher average kinetic energy, the substance's temperature increases. Conversely, lower average kinetic energy corresponds to a lower temperature.

What is the purpose of a heat engine?

Answer: To convert thermal energy into mechanical work

The primary purpose of a heat engine is to convert thermal energy (heat) into mechanical work. It achieves this by operating between a high-temperature reservoir and a low-temperature reservoir, absorbing heat from the hotter source, converting a portion of it into useful work, and expelling the remaining heat to the colder sink.

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

Answer: Entropy of an isolated system increases over time

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can only increase over time, or remain constant in ideal reversible processes. This fundamental law implies that natural processes tend towards states of greater disorder and randomness, and it's why heat spontaneously flows from hot to cold, not the other way around.

What is a black body in physics?

Answer: An object that absorbs and emits all radiation efficiently

A black body is an idealized physical body that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of frequency or angle of incidence. Because it absorbs all radiation, it is also the most efficient emitter of thermal radiation at any given temperature, radiating energy across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

What is the photoelectric effect?

Answer: When electrons are emitted from a metal surface due to light

The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon where electrons are ejected from a metal surface when light of a sufficiently high frequency shines on it. This effect demonstrates the particle-like nature of light (photons), as each photon must have enough energy to overcome the electron's binding energy to the metal.

What does Einstein’s equation E = mc² describe?

Answer: Energy is equal to mass times the speed of light squared

Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc², describes the equivalence of mass and energy. It states that energy (E) is directly proportional to mass (m), with the proportionality constant being the speed of light (c) squared. This equation reveals that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa, explaining phenomena like nuclear reactions.

What is the main idea behind relativity?

Answer: The laws of physics are the same for all observers

The main idea behind Einstein's theory of special relativity is that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion relative to one another. This principle of relativity, combined with the constancy of the speed of light in a vacuum for all inertial observers, forms the foundation for understanding how space and time are intertwined.