Thermodynamics - Fundamental Principles and Applications

Description

This book offers a comprehensive overview of thermodynamics. It is divided into four parts, the first of which equips readers with a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics of equilibrium states and of their evolution. The second part applies these principles to a series of generalized situations, presenting applications that are of interest both in their own right and in terms of demonstrating how thermodynamics, as a theory of principle, relates to different fields. In turn, the third part focuses on non-equilibrium configurations and the dynamics of natural processes. It discusses both discontinuous and continuous systems, highlighting the interference among non-equilibrium processes, and the nature of stationary states and of fluctuations in isolated systems. Lastly, part four introduces the relation between physics and information theory, which constitutes a new frontier in fundamental research. The book includes step-by-step exercises, with solutions, to help readers to gain a fuller understanding of the subjects, and also features a series of appendices providing useful mathematical formulae. Reflecting the content of modern university courses on thermodynamics, it is a valuable resource for students and young scientists in the fields of physics, chemistry, and engineering. Front Matter ....Pages i-xxvii Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Macroscopic Systems and Empirical Temperature (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 3-11 The First Principle of Thermodynamics (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 13-23 The Second Principle of Thermodynamics (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 25-54 The Fundamental Relation and the Thermodynamic Potentials (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 55-79 Maxwell Relations (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 81-94 Front Matter ....Pages 95-95 General Properties of Gaseous Systems (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 97-119 Phase Transitions (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 121-138 van der Waals Equation (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 139-168 Surface Systems (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 169-192 Electrostatic Field (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 193-206 Magnetic Field (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 207-218 Thermodynamics of Radiation (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 219-249 Third Law of Thermodynamics (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 251-258 Front Matter ....Pages 259-259 Irreversible Processes: Fundamentals (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 261-291 Irreversible Processes: Applications (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 293-331 Thermodynamics of Continua (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 333-371 Front Matter ....Pages 373-373 Introduction to the Role of Information in Physics (Antonio Saggion, Rossella Faraldo, Matteo Pierno)....Pages 375-392 Back Matter ....Pages 393-432