Department of Physics and Astronomy
Michigan State University
PHY231 Fall 1997

Lecture 30: November 10

Reading before class: C/J 15.5 & 15.8

Topics and Concepts

• Specific heat capacity
• Second law of thermodynamics
• Heat engines
• Efficiency
• Carnot's principle
• Carnot engine

Equations

• Thermodynamics handout

Examples

• Specific heat capacities for a monatomic ideal gas
• Efficiency of an automobile engine (C/J example 7, page 459)
• Tropical ocean as a heat engine (C/J example 8, page 461)

Reading for next class: C/J 15.9 - 15.11

PHY 231

This document http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/1997fall/PHY231/lect30.html was last updated on 20 August 1997 by Thomas Glasmacher