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Related Concept Videos

Thermodynamic Systems01:06

Thermodynamic Systems

A thermodynamic system is a set of objects whose thermodynamic properties are of interest. The system is considered to be embedded in its surroundings or the environment. The system and its environment can exchange heat and do work on each other through a boundary that separates them. However, the immediate surroundings of the system interact with it directly and therefore have a much stronger influence on its behavior and properties.
Consider an example of  tea boiling in a kettle. The tea and...
The Carnot Cycle01:30

The Carnot Cycle

Converting work to heat is an irreversible process, and the purpose of a heat engine is to reverse the effect partially. Heat engines aim to increase the efficiency of the reversal, that is, maximize the work retrieved from heat. If the efficiency of a heat engine were 100%, it would imply reversing the process completely without introducing any other effect. Thus, it would violate the second law of thermodynamics.
What could be the theoretical limit to the efficiency of a heat engine? The...
First Law Of Thermodynamics: Problem-Solving01:21

First Law Of Thermodynamics: Problem-Solving

The first law of thermodynamics states that the change in internal energy of the system is equal to the net heat transfer into the system minus the net work done by the system. This equation is a generalized form of energy conservation and can be applied to any thermodynamic process.
The following strategies can be used to solve any problem involving the first law of thermodynamics.
Path Between Thermodynamics States01:21

Path Between Thermodynamics States

Consider the two thermodynamic processes involving an ideal gas that are represented by paths AC and ABC in Figure 1:
Thermodynamics: Activity Coefficient01:24

Thermodynamics: Activity Coefficient

Activity is the measure of the effective concentration of the species in solution. It can be expressed as the product of the molar concentration of the species and its activity coefficient. The activity coefficient is a dimensionless quantity and depends on the total ionic strength of the solution.
The activity coefficient is a measure of the deviation from ideal behavior. When the ionic strength of the solution is minimal, the activity coefficient of an ionic species is close to unity, making...
Thermal expansion and Thermal stress: Problem Solving01:27

Thermal expansion and Thermal stress: Problem Solving

San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge is exposed to temperatures ranging from -15 °C to 40 °C. At its coldest, the main span of the bridge is 1275 m long. Assuming that the bridge is made entirely of steel, what is the change in its length between these temperatures?
To solve the problem, first, identify the known and unknown quantities. The initial length (L) of the bridge is 1275 m, the coefficient of linear expansion (α) for steel is 12 x 10-6/°C, and the change in temperature (ΔT) is 55 °C.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
09:09

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation

Published on: February 5, 2020

Increasing thermoelectric efficiency: a dynamical systems approach.

Giulio Casati1, Carlos Mejía-Monasterio, Tomaz Prosen

  • 1Center for Nonlinear and Complex Systems, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Como, Italy.

Physical Review Letters
|September 4, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We propose a microscopic mechanism to increase thermoelectric efficiency in ideal ergodic gases. Complex charge carrier molecules allow thermoelectric efficiency to approach Carnot efficiency.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
09:09

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation

Published on: February 5, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Statistical Mechanics
  • Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

  • Thermoelectric materials convert heat to electricity and vice versa.
  • Improving thermoelectric efficiency is crucial for energy harvesting and cooling applications.
  • Current limitations in thermoelectric efficiency hinder widespread adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a novel microscopic mechanism for enhancing thermoelectric efficiency.
  • To investigate particle and energy transport in open classical ergodic billiards.
  • To explore the potential of ideal ergodic gases to approach Carnot efficiency.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing the kinetic theory of ergodic gases and chaotic billiards.
  • Analyzing cross transport of particles and energy in open classical ergodic billiards.
  • Deriving exact expressions for transport coefficients in the linear response regime.
  • Conducting numerical simulations of a Lorentz gas with rotational degrees of freedom.

Main Results:

  • A simple microscopic mechanism for increasing thermoelectric efficiency is proposed.
  • Exact expressions for all transport coefficients in the linear response regime were derived.
  • Thermoelectric efficiency of ideal ergodic gases can approach Carnot efficiency.
  • The complexity of charge carrier molecules significantly impacts efficiency.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed mechanism offers a pathway to significantly enhance thermoelectric efficiency.
  • Ergodic gases provide a promising theoretical framework for high-efficiency thermoelectric devices.
  • Further research into complex charge carrier molecules could unlock near-Carnot efficiency.