Timeline for When is the internal energy of a system not considered potential energy?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
6 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Feb 19 at 21:34 | comment | added | CBBAM | Thank you for all your help! I understand now. | |
| Feb 19 at 21:15 | comment | added | QuantumBrachistochrone | Again, $K$ is not well defined in the thermodynamics, so although you can interpret $K$ containing the information of heat, you usually thinks of $K$ ($mv²/2$) as something different of heat, in this case you have $E=K+U+I$, where $K$ and $U$ are more like classical mechanics. If you want to use something like $K=k_BT/2$, then $K$ is an intern energy, and we have $E=K+U$. It's just definition, you can use the definition you want, but be clear (a lot of texts are not clear). | |
| Feb 19 at 19:22 | comment | added | CBBAM | What do you mean that those processes, such as adding heat, does not interfere with $K$ or $U$? Doesn't heat increase $K$? | |
| Feb 19 at 19:13 | comment | added | QuantumBrachistochrone | You can define total Energy as many things, but in general yes, $E=K+U$ where $K$ and $U$ can vary, but $E$ remains constant. Internal Energy $I$ is a convenient another kind of energy that you can manipulate with processes that does not interfere in $K,U$, as adding heat. | |
| Feb 19 at 19:09 | comment | added | CBBAM | Thank you. So if I have understood correctly, then the total energy is always $E = K + U$, but sometimes we distinguish the internal/external energy for convenience? | |
| Feb 19 at 18:47 | history | answered | QuantumBrachistochrone | CC BY-SA 4.0 |