Recent content by matsciguy

Any clue as to why Dr. C.H.P. Lupis uses this (dE-TdS+PdV < 0) as a jumping off point for studying criterion for equilibrium? Does this inequality ever have a context and a meaning? Thanks!

My textbook says that dE-TdS+PdV<0 for all irreversible processes. However, for reversible processes, the author says that dE-TdS+PdV = 0, and in fact this equation can be applied to irreversible processes because E is a state function. I'm confused -- this seems to be a contradiction.

Thank you. Perhaps I'm thinking about this wrong. But: Say we have two systems that can exchange energy only. Their respective volumes are held constant, as well as number of particles, and total energy between them. The definition of temperature gives us a basis for seeing which way energy...

I'm trying to understand the relation: P=T (∂S/∂V)U,N. I understand the definition of temperature as: 1/T =(∂S/∂U)V,N. The relation for pressure has a similar derivation, but how can T be thrown in there? In my textbook, the author derives the relation for two systems in thermal...