Thermodynamics

prediction that an accelerating observer will observe blackbody radiation where an inertial observer would observe none

irreversible thermodynamic process in which a volume of gas expands into a vacuum

toy heat engine

chart describing internal energy of thermodynamic systems

physical quantity, historically invented by G. Leibniz, equivalent to (in modern terminology) twice the kinetic energy

substance (fuel) or sometimes a phenomenon (energy system) that contains energy that can be later converted to other forms such as mechanical work or heat or to operate chemical or physical processes

thermodynamic system with a heat capacity that is large enough that when it is in thermal contact with another system of interest or its environment, its temperature remains effectively constant

Heat transfer due to combined effects of advection and diffusion

a device that separates compressed gas by utilizing the phenomenon of vortex flow in the tube into hot and cold streams

aspect of history

school of thought on thermodynamics and systems phenomena developed by Hermann Haken

rate of transfer of heat through matter, expressed as a U-value

enthalpy change that occurs in a system when matter is transformed by a given chemical reaction, when all reactants and products are in their standard states

thumb|Classic experiment involving regelation of an ice block as a tensioned wire passes through it.

thermodynamic diagram used in thermodynamics to visualize changes to temperature and specific entropy during a thermodynamic process or cycle as the graph of a curve

thermodynamic potential

equations on thermodynamic quantities

Industrial Revolution era stream engine design

theoretical temperatures

Hungarian physicist (1907-2009)

property of a thermodynamic process; depends on the historical path of system states, not just on the current system state

theory in modern physics that describes gravity as an entropic force

study of quantum-mechanical thermodynamic systems and processes

property of a physical system that stays approximately constant when changes occur slowly, e.g. entropy

cooling through a radiative transfer of energy

diagram showing the thermodynamic states of a material

number of particles in a system

gas or liquid used to transfer force, motion, or mechanical or thermal energy

model of computing

study of energy in living systems

gas-like collection of photons

atom maintained at temperatures close to 0 kelvins, usually in an atomic physics laboratory

quantum mechanical phenomenon in which heat transfer occurs by wave-like motion

mathematical and physics concept

annular figures or bands formed by chemical precipitation

unusual physicochemical process in which some materials contract upon heating

laboratory equipment for even heating of a reaction vessel using sand

line graph used in physical science

Condition in thermodynamics

class of rocket engine designs

use of thermal energy storage in building design

chart used to estimate the performance of a steam engine

thermodynamic formulation based on the second law

Temperature above which almost all solids visibly glow

high-pressure cooker invented by Denis Papin in 1679 to allow paupers to consume bones and low-quality meat

Surroundings, or environs is an area around a given physical or geographical point or place. The exact definition depends on the field. Surroundings can also be used in geography (when it is more precisely known as vicinity, or vicinage) and mathematics, as well as philosophy, with the literal or metaphorically extended definition.

heat originating from within a celestial object

Graph of concentrations of different species of a polyprotic acid, as a function of pH, when the solution is at equilibrium

equations in thermodynamics

type of heat transfer

measure of thermal insulance

thumb|300px|right|Wollaston's diagram of a cryophorus. When the empty ball on the right is immersed in a freezing mixture of snow and salt, the water in the ball on the left freezes in a few minutes.

property of crosslinked rubber

where fluid motion is generated by an external source

product of the Boltzmann constant and temperature

system used within industry, where measuring and analyzing the energy consumption of different activities is done to improve energy efficiency

In physics, thermalisation (or thermalization) is the process of physical bodies reaching thermal equilibrium through mutual interaction. In general, the natural tendency of a system is towards a state of equipartition of energy and uniform temperature that maximizes the system's entropy. Thermalisation, thermal equilibrium, and temperature are therefore important fundamental concepts within statistical physics, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics; all of which are a basis for many other specific fields of scientific understanding and engineering application.