Thermodynamics Flashcards

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1
Q

What is temperature?

A

A measurement of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a system

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2
Q

When an object warms up what happens to the particles?

A

They move faster

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3
Q

What happens if you had two objects at different temperature?

A

Heat will flow to the colder until their temperatures are identical and thermal equilibrium is reached

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4
Q

What is a thermometer?

A

A temperature measuring instrument

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5
Q

What are the three main types of thermometers?

A

-bulb thermometer
-bimetallic thermometer
-thermistor

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6
Q

What are thermocouples used for?

A

Measurement of high temperature

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7
Q

Why is mercury used in thermometers?

A

They have a linear rate of expansion with rising temperature

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8
Q

In a bulb thermometer what happens when temperature rises?

A

The fluid expands and moves up the tube

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9
Q

Why is water not used in thermometers?

A

Because it would freeze or boil

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10
Q

How does a bimetallic thermometer work?

A

Two different metals are bonded together and when the temperatures rises or falls the bonded metal will bend in a certain direction

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11
Q

A thermistor is a combination of two words, what are these words?

A

Thermal and resistor

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12
Q

How does a thermistor work?

A

A wire that changes its electrical resistance with change in temperature

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13
Q

What is the most commonly used sensor to measure temperature?

A

A thermistor

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14
Q

What temperature range is used in the metric system?

A

Celsius or centigrade

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15
Q

Where is Fahrenheit used?

A

USA and some Caribbean countries

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16
Q

In Fahrenheit what is the freezing point of water?

A

32˚F

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17
Q

In Fahrenheit what is the boiling point of water?

A

212˚F

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18
Q

What is the only temperature that is the same in Celsius and Fahrenheit?

A

-40˚

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19
Q

When is kelvin used as the base unit for temperature?

A

In the SI units

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20
Q

What is the lowest possible temperature?

A

Absolute zero

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21
Q

What would happen to ordinary gases like air if they reached absolute zero?

A

They’d become rock solid

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22
Q

Is it possible to get to absolute zero?

A

No but we can get to a fraction of ˚C from it

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23
Q

What is the equation to work out kelvin?

A

K = C + 273.15

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24
Q

What is heat?

A

A measurement of energy transferred from one substance to another

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25
Q

What is the units for heat energy?

A

joules or calories

26
Q

When the unit calories is written down it can come in two forms, lower c and upper C, what does this mean?

A

Lower c is one thousandths of a upper C

27
Q

Does heat transfer from a lower temperature to a higher?

A

No unless work is done

28
Q

What would happen if absolute zero is reached?

A

All molecular movement would stop

29
Q

What is specific heat capacity?

A

The amount of energy that is needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of that substance by 1Kelvin

30
Q

If you added heat to two different substances would they increase at the same rate?

A

No as they have different specific heat capacity

31
Q

What is the equation for specific heat of a substance?

A

Heat energy added / (mass x change in temperature)

32
Q

What is heat capacity?

A

The ratio of the amount of heat energy transferred to an object to the resulting increase in its temperature

33
Q

What is another way to describe heat capacity?

A

Thermal mass

34
Q

What is the heat capacity equation?

A

Heat energy added / change in temperature

35
Q

What is heat transfer?

A

The flow of heat due to temperature differences

36
Q

What are the three methods by which heat is transferred?

A

-convection
-conduction
-radiation

37
Q

In relation to heat transfer what is conduction?

A

The process by which heat is directly transferred through the material

38
Q

What is the only heat transfer method in solids?

A

Conduction

39
Q

In relation to heat transfer what is convection?

A

Heat transfer from one part of a fluid to another

40
Q

What is thermal radiation?

A

Energy that comes from a source and travels through air or a vacuum

41
Q

In relation to heat transfer why is radiation different to conduction and convection?

A

Because the substances don’t have to be in contact with eachother

42
Q

When a material is heated up and it expands what happens to the molecules for this to happen?

A

They vibrate about their positions and space between them increases

43
Q

What is linear expansion?

A

It’s the comparison between length change to the original and the change in temperature

44
Q

What type of solids does area expansion affect?

A

Two dimensional solids

45
Q

What type of solids get affected by volumetric expansion?

A

Three dimensional solids

46
Q

From the three basic states of substances, what order do they expand the most?

A

1st: gases
2nd: liquid
3rd: solids

47
Q

Why cant the expression for the linear thermal expansion of solids be used on liquids and gases?

A

Because they have no fixed shape

48
Q

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

A

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can only be transformed from one to another

49
Q

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

A

The total energy output (as produced by a machine) is equal to the amount of heat supplied

50
Q

What is a heat receiver?

A

The place where heat energy is lost

51
Q

What is another way a heat receiver is described?

A

A heat sink

52
Q

What is a thermodynamic cycle?

A

Where the. Working fluid of the system undergoes a series of processes and finally returns to its initial state i.e a refrigerator

53
Q

What are the two types o thermodynamic cycles?

A

Open and closed

54
Q

What are the five basic elements of a thermodynamic cycle?

A

-working substance
-heat source
-heat receiver
-pump
-engine

55
Q

In thermodynamic cycles what is a working substance?

A

A medium that receives, stores and transports the energy

56
Q

In thermodynamic cycles what is a heat source?

A

Supplies thermal energy to the working fluid

57
Q

In thermodynamic cycles what is a heat receiver?

A

It absorbs the heat (or thermal energy) from the working substance

58
Q

In thermodynamic cycles what is a pump?

A

Moves the working substance from low pressure to high pressure

59
Q

In thermodynamic cycles what is a engine?

A

It converts the thermal energy to work in mechanical energy

60
Q

What is the factor in a thermodynamic open cycle?

A

An opening in the system allows the fluid to be regularly replaced i.e aircraft air conditioning

61
Q

What is the main factor in a thermodynamic closed cycle?

A

The working substance never leaves the cycle