Related Concept Videos

The Uncertainty Principle04:08

The Uncertainty Principle

Werner Heisenberg considered the limits of how accurately one can measure properties of an electron or other microscopic particles. He determined that there is a fundamental limit to how accurately one can measure both a particle’s position and its momentum simultaneously. The more accurate the measurement of the momentum of a particle is known, the less accurate the position at that time is known and vice versa. This is what is now called the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. He mathematically...
Entropy and Solvation02:05

Entropy and Solvation

The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ ≥ 15); an...
Entropy Change in Reversible Processes01:10

Entropy Change in Reversible Processes

In the Carnot engine, which achieves the maximum efficiency between two reservoirs of fixed temperatures, the total change in entropy is zero. The observation can be generalized by considering any reversible cyclic process consisting of many Carnot cycles. Thus, it can be stated that the total entropy change of any ideal reversible cycle is zero.
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
Limits of the First Law of Thermodynamics01:22

Limits of the First Law of Thermodynamics

Spontaneous processes, like a rock falling to the ground or sodium reacting with chlorine, occur without external work and often involve a decrease in the system‘s energy. However, certain endothermic processes, such as the dissolution of sodium chloride in water, occur spontaneously even though they increase the energy of the system. This limitation suggests that the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the total energy of a system is constant in an isolated system, cannot fully...
Absolute Entropies and the Third Law of Thermodynamics01:23

Absolute Entropies and the Third Law of Thermodynamics

Ludwig Edward Boltzmann developed a definition for entropy, which stated that absolute entropy is proportional to the natural logarithm of the number of possible combinations of particles. Entropy stands alone among state functions as the only one whose absolute values can be determined.Consider a gas sample confined to a container. As the container expands, the energy levels of gas molecules become more closely spaced. This increases the number of available energy states, thereby increasing...
The Squeeze Theorem01:30

The Squeeze Theorem

Certain mathematical functions exhibit unpredictable or highly variable behavior near specific input values, making direct evaluation of their limits challenging. This complexity may arise from rapid oscillations or irregular patterns that obscure the function’s trend. In such cases, the Squeeze Theorem offers a reliable method for determining limits.According to the Squeeze Theorem, if a function is confined between two other functions near a particular point, and both outer functions approach...