Thermal Physics

by Rajesh Javvadi
 #1. Topics we are going to discuss today:

1. Particle model of matter

2. Temperature: Measuring temperature
3. Heat
4. Change of phase

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1. Particle Model
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 Bonds between the molecules

Inter-molecular forces
are:

a.Strong : Solid

b.Weak : Liquid
c. Very Weak : Gases

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2. Temperature
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 “
Temperature is the measure of

coldness or hotness of a body.

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 “
Temperature is the measure of average kinetic
energy of the molecules.

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Note
Since temperature is proportional to the average kinetic
energy, the temperature must be zero when the kinetic
energy is zero i.e. at absolute zero
temperature.

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Questions:

■ What is absolute 0 temperature?

Answer: 0 Kelvin
■ Absolute 0 in 0C?
Answer: -273oC

K = C + 273 o
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Measuring temperature

■ Temperature can be measured with a device called

thermometer
■ Types: a. In-liquid
b. Thermistor
c. Infrared
d. Thermocouple
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3. Heat
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 “
Heat is energy that is transferred from one
body to another due to temperature difference.

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Transfer of heat is due to:

Conduction Convection Radiation

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Internal energy

kinetic energy and

■ It is the sum of average

inter-particle potential energy of a

substance.

■
What is inter-particle potential energy?
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4. Change of phase
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 Change of phase

■melting – when a solid changes to a liquid (heat must be

provided to the solid).

■freezing – when a liquid changes into a solid (heat must

be taken out of the liquid).

■vaporisation (or boiling) – when a liquid changes

into vapour (by giving heat to the liquid).

■condensation – when a vapour changes into a

liquid (by taking heat out of the vapour).
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 #2. Topics we are going to discuss today:

5. Specific Heat capacity and Latent Heat

6. Finding out c and L using electrical method.
7. Finding out c ad L using method of mixtures.

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5. Specific Heat capacity
and Latent Heat
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 Definitions

■specific heat capacity (c) is the energy

required to increase the temperature of a unit mass of the body
by one kelvin.

c = Q/mΔT
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 Definitions

■specific latent heat (L) is the amount of

energy required to change the phase of a unit mass at constant
temperature.

L = Q/m
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 Values of various substances

Specific Heat Capacity

Specific Latent Heats

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Problems

■ A quantity of heat equal to 9800 J is absorbed by a

piece of iron of mass 1.8 kg and specific heat capacity
450 J kg−1 K−1.
a Calculate the temperature increase of the iron.

b The heat of 9800 J was removed from 3.2 kg of water initially at 48

°C. The specific heat capacity of water is 4200 J kg−1 K−1. Calculate
the final temperature of the water.

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6. Finding out c and L using
electrical method.
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 Problems

■ A sample of 120 g of a solid initially at 20 °C is heated by a heater of constant

power. The specific heat capacity of the solid is 2500 J kg−1 K−1. The
temperature of the sample varies with time as shown in Figure.
Use the graph to determine:
a. the power of the heater.
b. the melting temperature of the sample.
c. the specific latent heat of fusion of
the sample.
d. the specific heat capacity of the sample
in the liquid phase.
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7. Finding out c and L using
method of mixtures.
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Experiment

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8. The Avogadro constant.
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 Look at this

N = 6.02 × 1023 Particles/mole

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 Continuation…

■
one mole of any substance contains as many particles as there
are atoms in 12 g of C-12.

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 Continuation…

■
NA = 6.02 × 10 23
mol−1 known as

the Avogadro constant

■ Eg: one mole of C, one mole of H2, one mole of CO2 and one mole of CH4
all contain 6.02 × 1023 particles.

■ This means 6.02 × 1023 atoms for C, 2 × 6.02 × 1023 atoms for H2,
3 × 6.02 × 1023 atoms for CO2 and 5 × 6.02 × 1023 atoms for CH4.
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Continuation…

■ If a substance contains N particles (atoms or molecules)

then the number of moles n is:

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9. Atomic mass unit.
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 Atomic mass unit (amu)

By international agreement, the reference atom chosen is

the C-12 isotope which contains six protons and six
neutrons.
By definition, one atom of C-12 has a mass
of 12 atomic mass units (amu)

1 amu, therefore, is one-twelfth

the mass of a C-12 atom.
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Molar mass

■Molar mass is the sum of the atomic masses of

the atoms making up the molecule.

Eg: CO2 has molar mass of 12 + 2 × 16 = 44 g mol–1 .

Note: The number of moles in a quantity of m grams of a substance

with molar mass µ is then

n = m/µ. 35
 Problems

■ Estimate the number of atoms of gold in 1.0 kg of gold,

Answer: 3 × 1024

■ Calculate how many grams of scandium, , contain the same

number of molecules as 8.0 g of argon,
Answer: 9.0 g

■ Calculate the number of water molecules in a glass or a beaker

given to you.

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10. Pressure.
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Pressure

■ Pressure is defined as the normal force applied per unit

area. Unit: N m−2 or Pa

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Continuation

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Problems

■ Two hollow cubes of side 25 cm with one face missing are placed
together at the missing face (see Figure). The air inside the solid
formed is pumped out. Determine the force that is necessary to
separate the cubes.

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11. Ideal gases.
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 Ideal Gas

■ It helps us to understand the behavior of real gases.

■ Ideal gas obeys the following:
a. point particle
b. obey laws of mechanics
c. no forces between the molecules
d. collisions are elastic
e. range of speeds
f. move randomly
g. cannot be liquefied or solidified
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Continuation

■ Note: Real gas can be considered as Ideal Gas only

when the density is low

i.e at low pressure and high temperature.

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The pressure–volume law – Boyle’s Law

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 Continuation…

isothermal curve
or isotherm:
temperature is constant

pressure is inversely proportional to volume

■ The pressure of a fixed quantity of gas is 2.0 atm and its
volume 0.90 dm3. The pressure is increased to 6.0 atm
at constant temperature. Determine the new volume.
Answer: 0.30 dm3

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The volume–temperature law - Charles’ law

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 Continuation…

Volume is directly proportional to Temperature

Isobar: pressure is constant

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Problem

■ A gas expands at constant pressure from an original

volume of 2.0 dm3 at 22 °C to a volume of 4.0 dm3.
Calculate the new temperature.
Answer: 590 K

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The pressure–temperature law - Gay-Lussac’s law
 Continuation…

Pressure is directly proportional to Temperature

Isochore: volume is
constant
Problem

■ A gas in a container of fi xed volume is heated from a

temperature of 37 °C and pressure 3.0 × 105 Pa to a
temperature of 87 °C. Calculate the new pressure.
Answer: 3.5 × 105 Pa

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The volume-mole law - Avogadro's law

Volume is directly proportional to moles

All Gas Laws

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 The equation of state of an ideal gas

PV = nTR
R = 8.31 J K−1 mol−1
Problems

■ Estimate how many molecules there are in a gas of

temperature 320 K, volume 0.025 m3 and pressure 4.8
× 105 Pa.

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The Boltzmann equation

EK = 3/2kBT
Where kB, is Boltzmann constant = R/NA = 1.38 × 10−23 J K−1

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Task

■ Lets find out the rms velocity of the gas in this physics
lab.

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Problems

■ The kelvin temperature of a gas is doubled. By what

factor does the average speed increase?
Answer: √2

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■ Calculate the ratio of the average speed of oxygen (O2)
to carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules when both gases are
at the same temperature.
Answer: 1.17 ≈ 1.2

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■ Calculate the average speed of helium (He) molecules
at a temperature of −15 °C.
Answer: 1.3 × 103 m s−1

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