Practice question · Multiple choice
Internal energy is a state function whereas heat is a path-dependent process. What follows from this distinction when evaluating a gas brought between two fixed endpoints?
Hints
- What fundamental law governs the relationship between heat, work, and internal energy?
- If the initial and final states are fixed, which thermodynamic quantity cannot vary?
Show the answer
B. The sum of heat and work remains identical across all possible pathways
Why
Confusing path-dependent transfers with state variables leads to the error of treating heat as a stored property. While individual values of q and w vary along different trajectories, their sum is constrained to Delta U, which is fixed entirely by the boundary states.
Practise The First Law of Thermodynamics
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