Definition of specific heat by via entropy

In summary, Landau defines specific heat as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a body by one unit, and expresses it as C_V = T\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial T}\right)_V. However, the individual discussing this topic is confused about how this definition is derived and its relation to the heat-entropy and energy differentials. They are questioning why the partial derivative with respect to temperature does not act on the temperature term. They need to review the concept of partial differentiation to understand this further.
  • #1
mSSM
33
1
In his Statistical Physics book, Landau introduces the specific heat as the quantity of heat which must be gained in order to raise the temperature of a body one by unit.

I don't understand, how he directly jumps to the conclusion that that has to be (let's just say, for constant volume):
[tex]
C_V = T\left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial T}\right)_V
[/tex]

If I take a process during which I have no change in volume, I think I can write: [itex]\partial Q = T\mathrm{d}S[/itex], is that correct? My next thought was then that I could write [itex]C_V=\left(\frac{\partial Q}{\partial T}\right)_V[/itex]. However, now I am stuck, because I do not understand why this should yield the above definition, without acting on the [itex]T[/itex] part of the the heat-entropy relation.EDIT: I would like to add, that I have the same problem with the specific heat's definition via the energy differential [itex]\mathrm{d}E = T\mathrm{d}S - P\mathrm{d}V[/itex]:
[tex]C_V = \left(\frac{\partial E}{\partial T}\right)_V[/tex]

Why does [itex]\frac{\partial}{\partial T}[/itex] not act on [itex]T[/itex]?
 
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  • #2
You need to go back and learn how partial differentiation is done. This is a mathematics question, not a physics question.
 

FAQ: Definition of specific heat by via entropy

What is the definition of specific heat?

The specific heat of a substance is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of that substance by one degree Celsius.

How is specific heat related to entropy?

Specific heat is related to entropy through the equation Q = TΔS, where Q is the heat energy transferred, T is the temperature, and ΔS is the change in entropy.

What is the unit of measurement for specific heat?

The unit of measurement for specific heat is joules per gram degree Celsius (J/g°C) in the SI system, or calories per gram degree Celsius (cal/g°C) in the CGS system.

Why is specific heat important in thermodynamics?

Specific heat is important in thermodynamics because it helps determine how much heat energy is needed to change the temperature of a substance, which is crucial in understanding and predicting the behavior of materials in different environments.

How is specific heat experimentally determined?

Specific heat can be experimentally determined by measuring the change in temperature of a known mass of substance when a known amount of heat energy is transferred to it. From this, the specific heat can be calculated using the equation Q = mcΔT, where Q is the heat energy transferred, m is the mass of the substance, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

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