Free Energy in Introductory Physics

Jeffrey J. Prentis; Michael Obsniuk

doi:10.1119/1.4940172

Free Energy in Introductory Physics

Jeffrey J. Prentis, Michael Obsniuk

Kettering University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Energy and entropy are two of the most important concepts in science. For all natural processes where a system exchanges energy with its environment, the energy of the system tends to decrease and the entropy of the system tends to increase. Free energy is the special concept that specifies how to balance the opposing tendencies to minimize energy and maximize entropy. There are many pedagogical articles on energy and entropy. Here we present a simple model to illustrate the concept of free energy and the principle of minimum free energy.

Original language	American English
Journal	The Physics Teacher
Volume	54
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4940172
State	Published - Jan 29 2016

Keywords

Free energy
Thermodynamic functions
Physics of gases
Elastic collisions
Statistical mechanics
Educational aids
Entropy
Ideal gas
Thermodynamic systems
Exchange interactions

Disciplines

Physics

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abstract = " Energy and entropy are two of the most important concepts in science. For all natural processes where a system exchanges energy with its environment, the energy of the system tends to decrease and the entropy of the system tends to increase. Free energy is the special concept that specifies how to balance the opposing tendencies to minimize energy and maximize entropy. There are many pedagogical articles on energy and entropy. Here we present a simple model to illustrate the concept of free energy and the principle of minimum free energy. ",

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AB - Energy and entropy are two of the most important concepts in science. For all natural processes where a system exchanges energy with its environment, the energy of the system tends to decrease and the entropy of the system tends to increase. Free energy is the special concept that specifies how to balance the opposing tendencies to minimize energy and maximize entropy. There are many pedagogical articles on energy and entropy. Here we present a simple model to illustrate the concept of free energy and the principle of minimum free energy.

KW - Free energy

KW - Thermodynamic functions

KW - Physics of gases

KW - Elastic collisions

KW - Statistical mechanics

KW - Educational aids

KW - Entropy

KW - Ideal gas

KW - Thermodynamic systems

KW - Exchange interactions

UR - https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1119/1.4940172

U2 - 10.1119/1.4940172

DO - 10.1119/1.4940172

M3 - Article

VL - 54

JO - The Physics Teacher

JF - The Physics Teacher

ER -

Free Energy in Introductory Physics

Abstract

Keywords

Disciplines

Access to Document

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