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GATE Exam » GATE Study Materials » Mechanical Engineering » Thermodynamics
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Thermodynamics

What is Thermodynamics? What is a thermodynamic system and Thermodynamics mean? What is entropy in thermodynamics? Learn everything easy and descriptive about Thermodynamics.

Table of Content
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Thermodynamics is the study of heat and its transformation from one form to another. It is a branch of physics that deals with the relationships between heat and other forms of energy, such as mechanical work, electric current, chemical potential energy, sound, electromagnetic radiation, and others. Thermodynamics is an integral part of aerospace engineering because it helps us design aircraft or spacecraft lighter in weight and consumes less fuel. In Thermodynamics, entropy measures the disorder or randomness in a thermodynamic system. It can be defined as the number of ways the energy in a system can be arranged. 

Thermodynamics is a science that deals with the transfer of heat energy and work. It was developed by a French scientist, Sadi Carnot, in 1824. Thermodynamics is also called Heat engine theory or thermodynamic system theory. This theory explains how machines convert thermal energy into mechanical work or vice versa.

Thermodynamics plays a significant role in the aerospace industry. It is used for designing and manufacturing spacecraft, rockets, missiles and other types of space vehicles. A spacecraft needs to be able to withstand high temperatures in its environment.

Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is the study of heat and energy transfer. It is a branch of physics that deals with heat, temperature, and other forms of energy about the matter. The ancient Greeks first discovered thermodynamics. Since then, it has been applied in different fields such as aerospace engineering, mechanics, and interior design. The introduction of a thermodynamics system helps engineers understand how the system works and how they can use this knowledge to improve their techniques.

Thermodynamics is an essential branch of aerospace engineering because it helps engineers design aircraft and satellites to maintain their temperature. It also allows engineers to design engines with better performance and efficiency.

Thermodynamics is essential to aerospace engineering in three ways:

  • Achieving propulsion efficiency:

  • Maximising fuel efficiency:

  • Minimising weight and size:

Entropy in Thermodynamics

Entropy is a measure of the randomness or disorder in a system. Entropy is often used to describe the tendency of systems to become disordered or random in their behaviour. It can be measured by considering how much energy is available for work. In thermodynamics, entropy measures the heat energy unavailable for work.

The entropy is defined as, Where is the entropy is Boltzmann’s constant, absolute temperature, and the number of possible states available to the system. The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy will always increase over time in an isolated system. 

Thermodynamics System

A Thermodynamics system is used to study and predict how heat moves through a system. A thermodynamic system comprises several transport processes connected by conduction, convection, and diffusion. An equation relates the thermodynamic properties of these subsystems called the thermodynamic relation.

The thermodynamics system is a complex system of interconnected subsystems that uses one form of energy and converts into another form. It is a system of interrelated parts, which are all working together to produce power and propulsion. To design an effective thermodynamics system, one must understand how it operates and its components.

Thermodynamics meaning

Thermodynamics studies the relations between heat, work, temperature, and energy. These principles describe how systems exchange energy by moving matter from one place to another. The laws of thermodynamics describe how the energy in a system changes and whether the system can perform useful work on its surroundings. Thermodynamics is the study of heat engines, thermodynamic phase transitions, and physical laws. These are principles used to describe how systems exchange energy by moving matter from one place to another.

Conclusion

Thermodynamics is an engineering discipline that deals with the transfer of heat energy and the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical work. The entropy in thermodynamics is a measure of how disorderly the system is. The entropy of a system can be calculated by summing up all the different types of energy in it and dividing that number by Boltzmann’s constant. The heat transfer occurs by the process of convection, conduction and radiation. These three processes can be used to transfer heat in different situations. Aerospace Engineering uses these three processes to transfer heat in different situations.
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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the GATE Examination Preparation.

What is thermodynamics?

Ans. Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat and its transfer between objects, physical s...Read full

What is heat transfer?

Ans. Heat transfer is how heat energy is transferred from one body to another. Heat transfer between two bod...Read full

What are the types of Heat transfer?

Ans. There are three types of heat transfer: Conduction: the transfer of heat through direct contact between objects...Read full

What is Entropy?

Ans. Entropy is the measure of disorder or randomness in a thermodynamic system. It is often expres...Read full

Ans. Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat and its transfer between objects, physical systems, and the environment.

Ans. Heat transfer is how heat energy is transferred from one body to another. Heat transfer between two bodies occurs when there is a difference in temperature between the bodies, and some form of heat exchange occurs. When heat flows from a hotter body to a cooler body, the hotter body will have a lower temperature than the cooler body.

Ans. There are three types of heat transfer:

  • Conduction: the transfer of heat through direct contact between objects
  • Convection: the transfer of heat by the movement of fluid or air that carries it
  • Radiation: the transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves

Ans. Entropy is the measure of disorder or randomness in a thermodynamic system. It is often expressed in units of energy divided by temperature, where entropy is maximum at absolute zero.

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