MEC121 – General Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer Chapter 01 – Introduction

I. Thermodynamic Systems 1. The temperature of a system drops by 45F° during a cooling process.
2. Mechanical Equilibrium = no change in pressure at any point of the Express this drop in temperature in K, R, and °C.
system with time. 2. The temperature of ambient air in a certain location is measured to
System Mass Energy
3. Phase Equilibrium = the mass of each phase reaches an equilibrium be 25°C. Express this temperature in °F, R, and K.
Closed ✗ ✔ level and stays there.
4. Chemical Equilibrium = chemical composition does not change with VII. Pressure
Open ✔ ✔
time, that is, no chemical reactions occur.
Isolated ✗ ✗ Pressure is defined as a normal force exerted by a fluid per unit area.
State Postulate: The state of a simple compressible system is completely
specified by two independent, intensive properties. Two properties are 𝑷𝒈𝒂𝒈𝒆 = 𝑷𝒂𝒃𝒔 − 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒎
1. A can of soft drink at room temperature is put into the refrigerator so
that it will cool. Would you model the can of soft drink as a closed independent if one property can be varied while the other one is held
system or as an open system? Explain. constant. 1 atm 101.325 kPa
1.01325 bars
V. Process and Cycles
II. Properties of a System 14.7 psia
29.92 inHg
760 mmHg
10.33 mH2O
1.033 kgf/cm2

1. Absolute Pressure = actual pressure at a given position

Note: kPa will be denoted as absolute pressure unit not gage (kPag).
For English units, psia is used for absolute and psig for gage.
2. Gage Pressure = indicates the difference between the atmospheric
pressure and the absolute pressure. (Vacuum Pressures are just
negative gage pressures.)
1. What is the difference between intensive and extensive properties?
2. Is the weight of a system an extensive or intensive property? 1. Process = Any change that a system undergoes from one equilibrium Pressure Head is measure of pressure in terms of the vertical distance of
state to another. “Process from state 1 to state 2” fluid.
III. State and Properties 1.1 Quasi-equilibrium Process = an idealized process in which the
State = the condition of a system, system remains infinitesimally close to equilibrium state at all times. Pascal’s Law states that the pressure applied to a confined fluid
described by a set of properties. If the A quasi-equilibrium process can be viewed as a sufficiently slow increases the pressure throughout by the same amount.
value of even one property changes, process that allows the system to adjust itself internally so that
properties in one part of the system do not change any faster than Barometer is device used to measure atmospheric pressure. Evangelista
the state will change to a different
those at other parts. Torricelli was the first to conclusively prove that Patm can be measured
one.
1.2 Steady-Flow Process = process during which a fluid flows through a
control volume steadily.
Steady = no change with time
Sample problem: Supposing two Uniform = no change with location
liquids of different densities ρ1 = 1500 kg/m3 and ρ2 = 500 kg/m3 were 2. Cycle = a system undergoes a cycle if it returns to its initial state.
(from state 1 to state 2,3,4,…, and finally back to state 1)
poured together inside a 100 L tank, filling it completely. If the resulting
density of mixture is 800 kg/m3, find the respective quantities of liquids
VI. Temperature and 0th Law of Thermodynamics
used. (ans: 45kg and 35kg)
1. Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics states that if two bodies are in
IV. State and Equilibrium thermal equilibrium with a third body, they are also in thermal
equilibrium with each other.
1. Thermal Equilibrium = involves no temperature differential, which is Manometer is a pressure measuring device based on the fluid column.
2. Temperature Scales
the driving force for heat flow.
2.1 Celsius Example: A manometer is used to measure the
ΔK = ΔC° ΔR = ΔF°
2.2 Fahrenheit pressure of a gas in a tank. The fluid used has a
2.3 Kelvin (K) not (°K) ΔK = 1.8ΔR specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column
(T)R = 1.8(T)K
2.4 Rankine (R) ΔC° = 1.8ΔF° height is 55 cm, as shown. If the local atmospheric
pressure is 96 kPa, determine the absolute pressure
Sample Problems: within the tank. (answer: 100.6 kPa)
MEC121 – General Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer Chapter 01 – Introduction

Important notes to remember: 3. Freshwater and seawater flowing in parallel horizontal pipelines are 5. An apple loses 4.5 kJ of heat as it cools per °C drop in its
connected to each other by a double U-tube manometer as shown. temperature. The amount of heat loss from the apple per °F drop in
1. pressure change across a fluid column of height h is ΔP = ρgh Determine the pressure difference between the two pipelines. Take its temperature is (a) 1.25 kJ (b) 2.50 kJ (d ) 8.1 kJ (c) 5.0 kJ (e) 4.1
2. pressure increases downward in a given fluid and decreases upward the specific gravity of sea water to be (1.035). Can the air column be kJ
3. two points at the same elevation in a continuous fluid at rest are at ignored in the analysis? 6. Consider a fish swimming 5 m below the free sur face of water. The
the same pressure. increase in the pressure exerted on the fish when it dives to a depth
of 25 m below the free surface is (a) 196 Pa (b) 5400 Pa (d)196,000
Assignment: Answer the following problems with complete solution. Write Pa (c) 30,000 Pa (e) 294,000 Pa
in a long bond paper (8.5x13’’). Margin: 1 inch each side. Write neatly and 7. The atmospheric pressures at the top and the bottom of a building
legibly. Use black pen only. are read by a barometer to be 96.0 and 98.0 kPa. If the density of air
is 1.0 kg/m3, the height of the building is (a) 17 m (b) 20 m (d) 204 m
1. A gas is contained in a vertical, frictionless piston cylinder device.
(c) 170 m (e) 252 m
The piston has a mass of 3.2 kg and a cross-sectional area of 35
8. Consider a 2-m deep swimming pool. The pressure difference
cm2. A compressed spring above the piston exerts a force of 150 N
between the top and bottom of the pool is (a) 12.0 kPa (b) 19.6 kPa
on the piston. If the atmospheric pressure is 95 kPa, determine the
(d) 50.8 kPa (c) 38.1 kPa (e) 200 kPa
pressure inside the cylinder.
9. During a heating process, the temperature of an object rises by 10°C.
This temperature rise is equivalent to a temperature rise of (a) 10°F
(b) 42°F (d) 18 R (c) 18 K (e) 283 K
10. At sea level, the weight of 1 kg mass in SI units is 9.81 N. The weight
of 1 lbm mass in English units is (a) 1 lbf (b) 9.81 lbf (d) 0.1 lbf (e)
0.031 lbf

4. A hydraulic lift is to be used to lift a 2500 kg weight by putting a weight

of 25 kg on a piston with a diameter of 10 cm. Determine the diameter
of the piston on which the weight is to be placed.

2. The lower half of a 6-m-high cylindrical container is filled with water

and the upper half with oil that has a specific gravity of 0.85.
Determine the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the
cylinder.