
Published online:
18 March 2021
Published in print:
05 January 2021
Online ISBN:
9780191915000
Print ISBN:
9780192895547
Contents
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1.1 Thermal Equilibrium 1.1 Thermal Equilibrium
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1.2 The Ideal Gas 1.2 The Ideal Gas
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Microscopic Model of an Ideal Gas Microscopic Model of an Ideal Gas
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1.3 Equipartition of Energy 1.3 Equipartition of Energy
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1.4 Heat and Work 1.4 Heat and Work
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1.5 Compression Work 1.5 Compression Work
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Compression of an Ideal Gas Compression of an Ideal Gas
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1.6 Heat Capacities 1.6 Heat Capacities
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Latent Heat Latent Heat
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Enthalpy Enthalpy
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1.7 Rates of Processes 1.7 Rates of Processes
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Heat Conduction Heat Conduction
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Conductivity of an Ideal Gas Conductivity of an Ideal Gas
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Viscosity Viscosity
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Diffusion Diffusion
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Chapter
1 Energy in Thermal Physics
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Pages
1–48
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Published:January 2021
Cite
Schroeder, Daniel V., 'Energy in Thermal Physics', An Introduction to Thermal Physics (Oxford , 2021; online edn, Oxford Academic, 18 Mar. 2021), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192895547.003.0001, accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Abstract
The behavior of energy in bulk-matter systems is subtle. We observe that energy flows spontaneously from high to low temperature; we refer to this flowing energy as heat; and we distinguish heat from work, the transfer of energy through mechanical or other means unrelated to temperature. On the other hand, simple models of gases and solids strongly suggest that at the molecular level all energy is purely mechanical. This introductory chapter surveys these basic concepts of thermal physics, illustrates them with a wide variety of familiar examples, and sets the stage for developing a deeper understanding.
Keywords:
Energy, Temperature, Heat, Work, Enthalpy, Kinetic theory, Ideal gas, Equipartition, Thermodynamics
Collection:
Oxford Scholarship Online
An Introduction to Thermal Physics. Daniel V. Schroeder, Oxford University Press (2021). © Daniel Schroeder. DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780192895547.003.0001
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