Thermodynamic Analyses of Systems

In this chapter we deal with the thermodynamic analysis of systems subjected to external fields gravitational, surface, radiation, electric, and magnetic. Not only are the resulting new effects of intrinsic interest, but the analysis provided below sheds new light on the systematics of the procedures outlined in Chapters 1 and 2. The reader is urged to keep this latter view in mind the study of field effects serves as an excellent pedagogical tool for an understanding of thermodynamics as a systematic discipline. 

In this chapter we are concerned with developing the equations of energy conservation to be used in the thermodynamic analysis of systems of pure substances. (The thermodynamics of mixtures is more complicated and will be considered in later chapters.) To emphasize both the generality of these equations and the lack of detail necessary, we write these energy balance equations for a general black-box system. For contrast, and also because a more detailed description will be.useful in Chapter 4, the rudiments of the more detailed microscopic description are provided in the final, optional section of this chapter. This microscopic description is not central to our development of thermodynamic principles, is suitable only for advanced students, and may be omitted. 

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