ELEMENTS OF PHYSICS I
Physics 221

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CHAPTER 15
The laws of thermodynamics

NEW CONCEPTS

FORMULAS

First law of thermodynamics:

\begin{displaymath}\Delta U = \Delta Q - W\end{displaymath}

Work by a gas at constant pressure:

\begin{displaymath}W = P\Delta V\end{displaymath}

Efficiency:

\begin{displaymath}e = {W\over Q_H} = 1 - {Q_L\over Q_H}\end{displaymath}

Upper limit (ideal):

\begin{displaymath}e_{ideal} = 1 - {T_L\over T_H}\end{displaymath}

Entropy:

\begin{displaymath}\Delta S = {\Delta Q\over T}\end{displaymath}

Second law of thermodynamics:

\begin{displaymath}\Delta S > 0\end{displaymath}

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