Understanding the Concept of Heat Supply to a System: Explained in My Book

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of heat supply to a system, particularly focusing on the definitions and implications of heat, work, and internal energy as described in a book. Participants express confusion regarding the relationship between heat as energy in transit and the idea that energy can be stored in a system, leading to a deeper exploration of these concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the statement that heat is energy in transit and cannot be stored, yet the system undergoes a change because energy gets stored in it.
  • Another participant uses the example of capacitors to illustrate how energy can be stored temporarily, suggesting that the book's explanation may be unclear.
  • A participant critiques the book's wording, suggesting it should clarify that work and the flow of heat represent energy in transit.
  • Some participants emphasize the distinction between heat, work, and internal energy, noting that heat transfer increases the internal energy of the system.
  • Definitions of heat, work, and internal energy are provided by participants, indicating varying levels of understanding and interpretation of these concepts.
  • There is a suggestion that mechanical work, such as moving a piston, may relate to the heat transfer and internal energy increase discussed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the clarity of the book's statements. There are competing interpretations of the concepts of heat, work, and internal energy, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the best way to articulate these relationships.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight potential ambiguities in the definitions and relationships between heat, work, and internal energy, indicating that the discussion may depend on specific interpretations and definitions that are not universally agreed upon.

Rahulx084
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My book states that
Heat and work represent energy in transit. The state of the system undergoes a change after heat is supplied to it and before work is extracted from it because energy gets stored in it.
My doubt is here that ,heat has been transferred to the system and it says heat is energy in transit and can't be stored but then it says system undergoes change cause energy is stored in it . This makes me confused. Please someone make me understand the concept behind this ,I know I have a big misconception .
 
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Rahulx084 said:
My book states that
Heat and work represent energy in transit. The state of the system undergoes a change after heat is supplied to it and before work is extracted from it because energy gets stored in it.
My doubt is here that ,heat has been transferred to the system and it says heat is energy in transit and can't be stored but then it says system undergoes change cause energy is stored in it . This makes me confused. Please someone make me understand the concept behind this ,I know I have a big misconception .
Take capicitors as example, electricty is energy and it can't be stored, but when we charge a capicitor, it can "store" the energy by gathering the electrons on both sides of it's pannel to one side using electricity, which creates a charge.Now this system changed it's state from a lower energy level(electrons on both panels) to a higher energy level(electrons on one side of the panel).The process is inversed when releasing the charge by touch both ends of the capicitor, now this charge is converted back to energy(which can't be stored)which will immediately be used up or converted again into another type of energy,depending what circuit you connect the capicitor to, this may result to
  • heat, if it's connected to a short circuit
  • light, if connected of a led
  • kinetic energy, if connected to a motor
Hope this solved your problem.
 
Rahulx084 said:
My book states that
Heat and work represent energy in transit. The state of the system undergoes a change after heat is supplied to it and before work is extracted from it because energy gets stored in it.
My doubt is here that ,heat has been transferred to the system and it says heat is energy in transit and can't be stored but then it says system undergoes change cause energy is stored in it . This makes me confused. Please someone make me understand the concept behind this ,I know I have a big misconception .

I think your book is a bit sloppy with use of the word heat. It should have said Work and the flow of heat represent energy in transit.
 
Rahulx084 said:
My book states that
Heat and work represent energy in transit. The state of the system undergoes a change after heat is supplied to it and before work is extracted from it because energy gets stored in it.
My doubt is here that ,heat has been transferred to the system and it says heat is energy in transit and can't be stored but then it says system undergoes change cause energy is stored in it . This makes me confused. Please someone make me understand the concept behind this ,I know I have a big misconception .
You are aware of the difference between heat, work, and internal energy, correct? In the example you cite, heat is transferred to the system, and, as a result, the internal energy of the system increases.
 
Chestermiller said:
You are aware of the difference between heat, work, and internal energy, correct? In the example you cite, heat is transferred to the system, and, as a result, the internal energy of the system increases.
My understanding of heat ,work amd internal energy are:
Heat is a form of energy in transit due to temperature difference
Work is said to be done when a force acts to displace a body in the direction of force
Internal energy is the energy due to the molecules of the system
 
Rahulx084 said:
My understanding of heat ,work amd internal energy are:
Heat is a form of energy in transit due to temperature difference
Work is said to be done when a force acts to displace a body in the direction of force
Internal energy is the energy due to the molecules of the system
Then what is your problem?
 
Chestermiller said:
Then what is your problem?
The statement of the book that I asked
 
Rahulx084 said:
The statement of the book that I asked
What do the works "In the example you cite, heat is transferred to the system, and, as a result, the internal energy of the system increases." from my previous post mean to you?
 
Chestermiller said:
What do the works "In the example you cite, heat is transferred to the system, and, as a result, the internal energy of the system increases." from my previous post mean to you?
Some kind of mechanical work I guess , like moving a piston in a cylinder.
 
  • #10
Rahulx084 said:
Some kind of mechanical work I guess , like moving a piston in a cylinder.
I have no idea how you could interpret it that way. It means that the heat transferred to the system causes the internal energy of the system to increase.
 

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