Lecture

Second Law of Thermodynamics: Clausius and Kelvin Restrictions

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In course

PHYS-106(a): General physics : thermodynamics

Le but du cours de Physique générale est de fournir les notions de base nécessaires à la compréhension des phénomènes physiques. L'objectif est atteint lorsqu'il est possible de prévoir quantitativement les conséquences de ces phénomènes avec des outils th ...

Description

This lecture covers the historical development of the second law of thermodynamics, focusing on the Clausius and Kelvin restrictions. Rudolf Clausius and Lord Kelvin formulated these restrictions in the 19th century, highlighting the impossibility of certain energy transformations. The interdiction of Clausius states that heat cannot spontaneously flow from a cold body to a hot one, while the interdiction of Kelvin asserts that a system in contact with a single heat source can only perform work and release heat. Violating these restrictions would lead to the creation of perpetual motion machines, which are not feasible according to the laws of thermodynamics.

Instructors (2)

Romuald Houdré

Curriculum Vitae CV 2011 Appointed as Adjunct Professor 2006 Appointed as Maitre d'Enseignement et de Recherche 2004 Joins the "Laboratory of Quantum Electronics" led by Prof. B. Deveaud-Plédran 2001-2004 Appointed as "Adjoint Scientifique" at the Institute for Quantum Photonics and Electronics (previously Institute for Micro and Optoelectronics led by Prof. M. Ilegems) 1998 Habilitation, University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6 (France) 1997 Invited researcher at NTT, Optoelectronics Department (Atsugi, Japan) 1988-2000 "Collaborateur scientifique" at the Institut for Micro and Optoelectronics with Prof. M.Ilegems at the Swiss Federal Institut of Technology in Lausanne (Switzerland). In charge of the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (1988-1996) and the research on optical microcavities (1996-2000) 1987-1988 Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée at Ecole Polytechnique (France). 1986-1987 Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U.S.A.) with Prof. H.Morkoç in the molecular beam epitaxy group 1983-1985 Ph.D. thesis on the photoemission from quantum wells and superlattices under negative electron affinity at Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Polytechnique (France), G.Lampel and C.Hermann as advisors

Cécile Hébert

Cécile Hébert was born in France in 1970. She obtained her Ingeneer degree (physics) and her PhD degree (design of a new energy filter for transmission electron microscopy, under the direction of Prof. B. Jouffrey) at the Ecole Centrale in Paris. As a post doc with Prof. P. Schattschneider, she was working on the calculation of the fine structure of ionisation edges in EELS. As a research assistant at the Vienna University of Technology, she was one of the main participant to the CHIRALTEM project dealing with the measurement of magnetic circular dichroism in the electron microscope.

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Related concepts (16)

Laws of thermodynamics

The laws of thermodynamics are a set of scientific laws which define a group of physical quantities, such as temperature, energy, and entropy, that characterize thermodynamic systems in thermodynamic equilibrium. The laws also use various parameters for thermodynamic processes, such as thermodynamic work and heat, and establish relationships between them. They state empirical facts that form a basis of precluding the possibility of certain phenomena, such as perpetual motion.

Chemical thermodynamics

Chemical thermodynamics is the study of the interrelation of heat and work with chemical reactions or with physical changes of state within the confines of the laws of thermodynamics. Chemical thermodynamics involves not only laboratory measurements of various thermodynamic properties, but also the application of mathematical methods to the study of chemical questions and the spontaneity of processes. The structure of chemical thermodynamics is based on the first two laws of thermodynamics.

Non-equilibrium thermodynamics

Non-equilibrium thermodynamics is a branch of thermodynamics that deals with physical systems that are not in thermodynamic equilibrium but can be described in terms of macroscopic quantities (non-equilibrium state variables) that represent an extrapolation of the variables used to specify the system in thermodynamic equilibrium. Non-equilibrium thermodynamics is concerned with transport processes and with the rates of chemical reactions.

Quantum thermodynamics

Quantum thermodynamics is the study of the relations between two independent physical theories: thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. The two independent theories address the physical phenomena of light and matter. In 1905, Albert Einstein argued that the requirement of consistency between thermodynamics and electromagnetism leads to the conclusion that light is quantized obtaining the relation . This paper is the dawn of quantum theory. In a few decades quantum theory became established with an independent set of rules.

Quantum heat engines and refrigerators

A quantum heat engine is a device that generates power from the heat flow between hot and cold reservoirs. The operation mechanism of the engine can be described by the laws of quantum mechanics. The first realization of a quantum heat engine was pointed out by Scovil and Schulz-DuBois in 1959, showing the connection of efficiency of the Carnot engine and the 3-level maser. Quantum refrigerators share the structure of quantum heat engines with the purpose of pumping heat from a cold to a hot bath consuming power first suggested by Geusic, Schulz-DuBois, De Grasse and Scovil.

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