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An isothermal process is a type of thermodynamic process in which the temperature T of a system remains constant: ΔT = 0. This typically occurs when a system is in contact with an outside thermal reservoir, and a change in the system occurs slowly enough to allow the system to be continuously adjusted to the temperature of the reservoir through heat exchange (see quasi-equilibrium).
For a reversible process, heat is the product of the absolute temperature and the change in entropy of a body (entropy is a measure of disorder in a system). The difference between the change in internal energy, which is Δ U {\displaystyle \Delta U} , and the energy lost in the form of heat is what is called the "useful energy" of the body, or ...
Whether carried out reversible or irreversibly, the net entropy change of the system is zero, as entropy is a state function. During a closed cycle, the system returns to its original thermodynamic state of temperature and pressure. Process quantities (or path quantities), such as heat and work are process dependent.
The entropy change associated with any condensed system undergoing a reversible isothermal process approaches zero as the temperature at which it is performed approaches 0 K. That is, (,) (,) =. Or equivalently,
Since the total change in entropy must always be larger or equal to zero, we obtain the inequality W ≤ − Δ F . {\displaystyle W\leq -\Delta F.} We see that the total amount of work that can be extracted in an isothermal process is limited by the free-energy decrease, and that increasing the free energy in a reversible process requires work ...
All physical and chemical systems in the universe follow the second law of thermodynamics and proceed in a downhill, i.e., exergonic, direction.Thus, left to itself, any physical or chemical system will proceed, according to the second law of thermodynamics, in a direction that tends to lower the free energy of the system, and thus to expend energy in the form of work.
This is possible provided the total entropy change of the system plus the surroundings is positive as required by the second law: ΔS tot = ΔS + ΔS R > 0. For the three examples given above: 1) Heat can be transferred from a region of lower temperature to a higher temperature in a refrigerator or in a heat pump. These machines must provide ...
The first law of thermodynamics is essentially a definition of heat, i.e. heat is the change in the internal energy of a system that is not caused by a change of the external parameters of the system. However, the second law of thermodynamics is not a defining relation for the entropy.