Thermodynamics I

Lecture 8: The First Law of

Thermodynamics
Prof: Dr. Pierre Q. Gauthier

The First Law of Thermodynamics

The first law of thermodynamics is also known as the

conservation of energy principle

It provides the relationships among the various forms of energy

and energy interactions

It states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, it

can only change forms

No problem in nature is known to have violate the first law, and

this should be taken as sufficient proof for its statement

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Energy Balance

The net change (increase or decrease) in the total energy of the

system during a process is equal to the difference between the
total energy entering and the total energy leaving the system
during that process
Total energy
entering the
system

Total energy
leaving the
system

Change in the
total energy of
the system

Ein Eout Esystem

This relation is applicable to any kind of system undergoing any

kind of process

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Example

Figure: the work (shaft) done on an adiabatic system is equal to

the increase in the energy of the system

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Example

Figure: the work (electrical) done on an adiabatic system is equal

to the increase in the energy of the system

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Example

Figure: the work (boundary) done on an adiabatic system is equal

to the increase in the energy of the system

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Energy Balance
Again : Ein Eout Esystem
Esystem Energy at the final state- Energy at the initial state
Efinal Einitial U K.E P.E
Where : U m(u2 u1 )
K.E

1
m(v22 v12 ) ; P.E mg(z2 z1 )
2

Note : for stationary systems, K.E P.E 0

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Energy Balance
Ein Eout Esystem

Figure: The energy change of a system during a process is equal

to the net work and heat transfer between the system and its
surrounding

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Energy Balance

Please note:

Qin (heat transfer to a system) increases the energy of

molecules and thus u of the system

Qout ( heat loss) decreases the energy of molecules and

thus u of the system

W an energy interaction that is not caused by temperature

difference

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Energy Balance

Also note that mass flow in and out of the system serves as an
additional mechanism of energy transfer

Finally an energy balance of a system can be written in different

forms:

Ein Eout (Qin Qout ) (Win Wout ) (Emass,in Emass,out ) Esystem

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Energy Balance

Or, it can be written as:

Ein Eout Esystem
Where :Ein Eout represent net energy transfer by heat, work and mass
Esystem is the change in internal, kinetic, potential, etc.. energies

Or in a rate form
E&
E&out E&system
in
Where :Ein Eout represent rate of net energy transfer
by heat, work and mass
Esystem is the rate of change in internal, kinetic, potential, etc.. energies

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Energy Balance

Or, per unit mass

ein eout esystem

In a closed system
K.E 0 and P.E=0
Then:Esystem U
Thus Ein Eout Esystem U
Ein Eout U
Or Q-W=U

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A Systematic Approach to Problem

Solving

Figure: a step by step approach can greatly simplify problem

solving

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Example

A 0.1 m3 rigid tank contains steam initially at 500 kPa and

1200C . The steam is now allowed to cool until its temperature
drops to 50C. Determine the amount of heat transfer during
this process and the final pressure in the tank

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Solution

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Solution

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Solution

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Solution

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Solution

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Solution

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Specific Heat

The specific heat is defined as the energy required to raise the

temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree

Figure: constant volume and constant pressure specific heats C v

and Cp (value given are for helium gas)

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Specific Heat

Specific heat at a constant volume

q wother du ; wother 0 (const volume)

q du cv dT du
Then : cv (

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u
)v
T

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Specific Heat

Specific heat at a constant pressure

Similarly : cP (

h
)P
T

Where h is the enthalpy: h=u+Pv

u, h, cp and cv for ideal gas

Pv RT

u=u(T)

h=u+Pv

h=u+RT

h=h(T)
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Specific Heat
du Cv dT
u2 u1

thus

du

cv (T)dT

cv (T)dT ; Similarly : h2 h1

cp (T)dT

If an average values are considered for specific heats, then

u2 u1 cv,av (T2 T1 ) ; h2 h1 cp,av (T2 T1 )

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Specific Heat

Please note

Since : dh du RdT

Then :

cpdT cvdT RdT

Or :

cp cv R

Specific heat ratio

is defined as: K=

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cp
cv

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Example 1

Saturated water vapor at 200C is isothermally condensed to a

saturated liquid in a piston-cylinder device. Calculate the heat
transfer and the work done during this process, in kJ/kg

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Solution

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Solution

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Example 2

A piston-cylinder device initially contains steam at 200 kPa,

200C and 0.5 m3. At this state, a linear spring is touching the
piston but exerts no force on it. Heat is now slowly transferred
to the steam causing the pressure and the volume to rise to
500kPa and 0.6 m3, respectively. Show the process on a P-v
diagram with respect to saturation lines and determine (a) the
final temperature (b) the work done by the steam, and (c) the
total heat transferred

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Example 2

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Solution

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Solution

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Solution

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Example 3

A 4mx 5mx 6m room is to be heated by a baseboard resistance

heater. It is desired that the resistance heater be able to raise
the air temperature in the room from 7 to 23C within 15 min.
Assuming no heat losses from the room and an atmospheric
pressure of 100 kPa, determine the required power of the
resistance heater. Assume constant specific heats at room
temperature

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Example 3

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Example 3

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Example 3

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