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Three Key Terms For The Study of Thermodynamics

In Lesson 1A, we learned a little bit about the history and nature of thermodynamics.
In Lesson 1B, we learned the importance of dimensions and units and how to use them to help us solve problems.
Now, we need to learn the meaning of some key terms that we will use throughout this course. That is the goal of this lesson.
In this lesson, we will study the terms system, state and property.
You are probably already familiar with these terms, but they have very specific meanings when they are applied to thermodynamics.
Because these three terms form the basis for this entire course, it is very important to understand them very well before we move on.

Lesson 1C: page 1 of 7

At this point we understand that the area of thermodynamics that we will study in this course focuses
on the relationship between heat and mechanical power.
We have also learned the importance and power of using dimensions and units when we write equations
and plug in numbers.
The next step in building a solid foundation for our study of thermodynamics is to understand the meaning of a few key terms.
In this lesson, we will discuss the terms SYSTEM, STATE, and PROPERTY.
You have heard all of these terms before, but their meaning in the context of thermodynamics may be slightly different than you might expect.
Because these three concepts are vital to our study of thermodynamics, we need to make sure that we understand them very well before we proceed.
First, lets learn exactly what the word system means in thermodynamics.