22. The Boltzmann Constant and First Law of Thermodynamics

For more information about Professor Shankar’s book based on the lectures from this course, Fundamentals of Physics: Mechanics, Relativity, and Thermodynamics, visit http://bit.ly/1jFIqNu.

Fundamentals of Physics (PHYS 200)

This lecture continues the topic of thermodynamics, exploring in greater detail what heat is, and how it is generated and measured. The Boltzmann Constant is introduced. The microscopic meaning of temperature is explained. The First Law of Thermodynamics is presented.

00:00 – Chapter 1. Recap of Heat Theory
11:54 – Chapter 2. The Boltzman Constant and Avogadro’s Number
18:50 – Chapter 3. A Microscopic Definition of Temperature
30:15 – Chapter 4. Molecular Mechanics of Phase Change and the Maxwell-Boltzmann
46:49 – Chapter 5. Quasi-static Processes
50:19 – Chapter 6. Internal Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

This course was recorded in Fall 2006.