Helmholtz Free Energy - Mathematical Development

Mathematical Development

From the first law of thermodynamics we have

,

where is the internal energy, is the energy added by heating and is the work done by the system. From the second law of thermodynamics, for a reversible process we may say that . Also, in case of a reversible change, the work done can be expressed as

Applying the product rule for differentiation to d(TS) = TdS + SdT, we have:

,

and:

The definition of A = U - TS enables to rewrite this as

This relation is also valid for a process that is not reversible because A is a thermodynamic function of state.

Read more about this topic:  Helmholtz Free Energy

Famous quotes containing the words mathematical and/or development:

    The most distinct and beautiful statement of any truth must take at last the mathematical form.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    The man, or the boy, in his development is psychologically deterred from incorporating serving characteristics by an easily observable fact: there are already people around who are clearly meant to serve and they are girls and women. To perform the activities these people are doing is to risk being, and being thought of, and thinking of oneself, as a woman. This has been made a terrifying prospect and has been made to constitute a major threat to masculine identity.
    Jean Baker Miller (20th century)