Boundary
Definition
A boundary is a real or imaginary surface that separates a thermodynamic system from its surroundings. It defines the limits within which the system's properties are analyzed.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
- Boundaries can be fixed or movable, depending on whether they allow for volume changes in the system.
- They can be diathermal, allowing heat transfer, or adiabatic, preventing heat transfer.
- The type of boundary affects how energy and matter exchange between the system and its surroundings.
- In thermodynamics, boundaries help define open systems (exchange both energy and matter), closed systems (exchange only energy), and isolated systems (exchange neither energy nor matter).
- Understanding boundaries is crucial for applying the First Law of Thermodynamics to calculate work done by or on the system.
Review Questions
- What are the different types of boundaries in thermodynamic systems?
- How does a diathermal boundary differ from an adiabatic boundary?
- Why is it important to understand boundaries when applying the First Law of Thermodynamics?
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Related terms
System: A specified portion of the universe chosen for analysis in thermodynamics, separated from its surroundings by boundaries.
Surroundings: Everything external to the system that can interact with it through exchanges of energy or matter.
First Law of Thermodynamics: $\Delta U = Q - W$, where $\Delta U$ is the change in internal energy of a system, $Q$ is heat added to the system, and $W$ is work done by the system.
