First Law of Thermodynamics - General Physics

Dive into a comprehensive 43-minute physics lesson on the First Law of Thermodynamics. Explore the relationship between internal energy change, heat, and work, and learn to determine when heat and work are positive or negative. Understand PV work and its graphical representation, and derive equations for isobaric and isothermal expansions. Discover how to calculate heat using molar heat capacity, differentiate between constant volume and constant pressure heat capacities, and relate them to degrees of freedom for various ideal gases. Master the calculations for internal energy change, heat, and work in isobaric, isochoric, adiabatic, and isothermal processes. Apply your knowledge by solving two practical First Law of Thermodynamics problems involving isobaric and isothermal expansions of ideal gases.

Lesson Introduction
Delta U = q + w
PV Work of an Ideal Gas
Heat and Heat Capacity Cv and Cp
Thermodynamic Calculations for Isobaric, Isochoric, Adiabatic, and Isothermal Processes
First Law Calculations for Isobaric Expansion of an Ideal Gas
First Law Calculations for Isothermal Expansion of an Ideal Gas