Thermal Physics Flashcards
What is the triple point of a material?
A very specific temperature and pressure where the material can be solid, liquid and gas simultaneously.
What are the units for absolute temperature?
Kelvin (K)
What is the structure of a solid?
- Regular 3D structure.
- Strong forces between particles.
- Molecules vibrate.
What is the structure of a liquid?
- No fixed shape but fixed volume.
- Moderate forces between particles.
- Molecules free to move.
What is the structure of a gas?
- No fixed shape or volume.
- Very low forces between particles.
- Lots of space between molecules.
What is Brownian motion?
The seemingly random motion of particles suspended in a fluid.
How can Brownian motion be observed?
Either looking at pollen grains floating on water or looking at smoke particles in a smoke cell.
What is the internal energy of a substance?
The sum of the randomly distributed kinetic and potential energies of the atoms or molecules in the substance.
When a substance is heating up what type of energy is it gaining?
Kinetic energy as its molecules are moving around faster.
When a substance is changing state what type of energy is it gaining?
Electrostatic potential energy as the molecules are moving further apart.
What is absolute 0 in degrees Celsius?
-273.15
At absolute 0, what happens to the molecules in a substance?
They have no kinetic energy.
What is the specific heat capacity of a material?
The energy required per unit mass to raise the temperature of the material by 1K.
What is the specific latent heat of a material?
The energy required per unit mass to change the state of the material.
