Have you ever heard about thermodynamics? Well, without these phenomena, our world would not be the same! Click here to learn about these laws!
Figure 1: A lit matchstick
Introduction
The laws of thermodynamics are an important topic in physics and chemistry, as they detail the relationship between heat, work, temperature, and energy. These laws can be applied in all situations regarding matter in the world! Everything from planes, rockets, computers, and even ourselves relate to thermodynamics!
Who Discovered the Laws of Thermodynamics?
There have been multiple scientists who have discovered certain laws at different times. The first law to be discovered (Currently listed as the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics) was by Sadi Carnot, in 1824. Over time, more and more laws were added by scientists to the list, creating the laws of thermodynamics as we know today.
The "0th" Law of Thermodynamics
The "0th" law of thermodynamics regards the concept of thermal equilibrium. Thermal equilibrium is the phenomena where two substances of matter have zero heat exchange between each other. Simply, the 0th Law of Thermodynamics states that when System A and System B are both separately in equilibrium with System C, then both systems A and B are in equilibrium with each other.
Figure 2: A diagram detailing the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
The First Law of Thermodynamics
In short, the first law of thermodynamics simply states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed. Rather, energy is transferred, and converted into different forms, such as mechanical, thermal, and chemical. Energy transfer can occur in three ways: Convection, conduction, and radiation. Furthermore, because energy cannot be created or destroyed, the first law of thermodynamics implies that the universe only has a set amount of energy that can be used.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
The second law of thermodynamics details a topic called "entropy". Entropy is a measure of the "disorder" in a system. For example, gasses have more entropy than solids, as the atoms in gases are not even distributed from each other. Rather, they are "disorderly". Solids, on the other hand, have less entropy, as they are generally orderly, and atoms are equidistant from each other. Therefore, the second law of thermodynamics states that when energy changes forms, entropy in a closed system increases. In other terms, heat always naturally diffuses from hotter objects to colder objects, unless there is energy that is causing colder objects to supply heat to hotter objects.
The Third Law of Thermodynamics
The third law of thermodynamics regards the concept of "absolute zero". Absolute zero is the coldest temperature possible in the universe, and when a group of particles reach this temperature, they stop moving entirely, due to a lack of energy from the environment. Therefore, the third law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of a system reaches a constant value as the temperature is approaching absolute zero.
Personal Opinion
I think that the Laws of Thermodynamics are quite fascinating to learn, and I think that the most interesting part about these laws is how important they are to understanding how the world works! Everything from computers, airplanes, rockets, and even ourselves is impacted by thermodynamics.
Citations
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