Thermodyamics, total differentials and integration.

In summary, the UK graduate student is looking for help from physicists with a problem that involves thermodynamics and acoustic engineering. The problem is that the student cannot find an equation of state for an acoustic medium to solve for the entropy. The book the student is using does not explicitly mention equations of state, so the student is looking for a more rigorous approach. Presumably, integrating the equations of state for the thermal expansion, heat capacity, and electric polarization would provide the solution.
  • #1
stephen_E
3
0
Hi everyone! I am a UK grad student working in acoustics. My own background is in EE, so i am largely self taught in thermodynamics. Consequently id really appreciate any insight any of you real physicists can give me with my problem!

Following derivations in books i can derive the enthalpy, H_{A}, of an acoustic medium to be as follows (S is strain, T is stress, D and E are electric filed and electric displacement,B and H are magnetic field, [tex] \theta [/tex] is temperature and [tex] \sigma [/tex] is entropy. Furthermore, the problem is assumed to be adiabatic.

[tex]H_{A} &= U -(ST)-(ED)-(BH)[/tex]
(where [tex]dU = dW + dQ = T_{i}dS_{i} + E_{i}dD_{i} + H_{i}dB_{i} + \theta d\sigma[/tex]), therefore:
[tex]dH_{A} &= - S_{i}dT_{i} - D_{m}dE_{m} - B_{m}dH_{m} + \theta d\sigma [/tex]

so:
[tex]S_{i}=\frac{-\partial{H_{A}}}{\partial{T_{i}}}[/tex]
etc etc for the other non infinitesimal quantities etc.

My problem comes when I expand Si and the other non-state variables from dH_A individually into total differentials ie

[tex] dS_{i} &=(\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{T_{i}}})_{E,H,\sigma}dT_{i} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{E_{m}}})_{H,\sigma}dE_{m} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{H_{m}}})_{H,E}dH_{m} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\sigma}})_{H,E}d\sigma [/tex]

I need to convert this expression into a non-infinitesimal form, ie so the LHS is S and not ds. I know the correct answer from my textbook is:

[tex] S_{i} &=(\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{T_{i}}})_{E,H,\sigma}T_{i} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{E_{m}}})_{H,\sigma}E_{m} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{H_{m}}})_{H,E}H_{m} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\sigma}})_{H,E}d\sigma [/tex]

However I don't see how to obtain this and the book glosses over the details of how to do this! Obviously I need to perform some kind of integration here, but how do I do this?! The thing that is throwing me is that last term involving entropy and temperature. I can see how to integrate this for terms T,E and H ie a term of the form
[tex] (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{T_{i}}})_{E,H,\sigma}dT_{i} [/tex]
converts to [tex] (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{T_{i}}})_{E,H,\sigma}T_{i} [/tex].

Can someone explain to me the significance of [tex](\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\sigma}})_{H,E}d\sigma[/tex] since this term doesn't seem to transform in the same fashion?

Also: Should i ditch the infinitesimal notation for S? At least one book I've seen assumes S is a function of the form [tex] S(T,E,H,\sigma) [/tex] and expands this function using a Maclaurin series: this seems to avoid the tricky infinitesimal quantities. Is this a better approach? Generally, using infinitesimals in calculus seems to be a bit of a minefield, as they are not very rigorous.

Thanks!
-=+Stephen Ellwood+=-
Ultrasound Research Group, Leeds University, UK
 
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  • #2
Just thought i should add one more detail: the subscript indices here are related to the fact that the material this derivation refers to is anisotropic - ie properties vary in different directions.

However this shouldn't drastically effect the outcome here.
 
  • #3
stephen_E said:
I know the correct answer from my textbook is:

[tex] S_{i} &=(\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{T_{i}}})_{E,H,\sigma}T_{i} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{E_{m}}})_{H,\sigma}E_{m} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{H_{m}}})_{H,E}H_{m} + (\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\sigma}})_{H,E}d\sigma [/tex]

I'm with you up to here, but this can't be correct; you can't integrate and be left with [itex]d\sigma[/itex]. Shouldn't the last term be

[tex]\int^{\sigma_2}_{\sigma_1} \left(\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\sigma}}\right)_{H,E,T}d\sigma\,\mathrm{?}[/tex]

It seems like you could move forward by expanding as

[tex]\left(\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\sigma}}\right)=\left(\frac{\partial{S_{i}}}{\partial{\theta}}\right)\left(\frac{\partial \theta}{\partial{\sigma}}\right)[/tex]

where the first quantity is related to thermal expansion and the second to heat capacity. Does this help?
 
  • #4
I haven't the foggiest idea really - my feeling is that an equation of state is being used - like PV=nRT for an ideal gas. Perhaps some context may help? What are the titles of the book and chapter? What is the final goal of the derivation?
 
  • #5
Euler's theorem for homogeneous functions is used here, see here for a similar problem:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=253781

Note that you should call H the magnetization (commonly denoted by M), E the electric polarization (commonly denoted by P).
 
  • #6
Hi guys I can confirm that the formulae I have given are correct; there is another derivation in the same book where the guy uses a very similar approach but this time on an isothermal not adiabatic problem.

I'm assuming that he wouldn't make the same mistake twice; furthermore if you can't preform the step I've outlined here you cannot prove the fundamental equations of piezoelectricity which would be a major showstopper!

The book in question is "Principles of Acoustics" Volume IA, edited by Warren P Mason, published by Academic Press - its very old though (c. 1950's)!

Many thanks for your reply Count Iblis, ill look into this Euler's theorem business. It sounds like it could be just the key to solving this.
 

FAQ: Thermodyamics, total differentials and integration.

What is thermodynamics?

Thermodynamics is the branch of physics that deals with the relationship between heat, work, and energy. It studies how energy is transferred and transformed in physical systems, including the behavior of matter under different conditions.

What is a total differential?

A total differential is a mathematical concept used in thermodynamics to describe the change in a function with respect to changes in multiple variables. It takes into account changes in all independent variables, rather than just one at a time.

How does integration relate to thermodynamics?

Integration is used in thermodynamics to calculate the total change in a system over a given period of time. It allows for the quantification of energy transfers and transformations, and is an important tool in understanding the behavior of physical systems.

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed. This law is a fundamental principle in thermodynamics and is used to understand the behavior of energy in physical systems.

How does thermodynamics apply to real-world situations?

Thermodynamics has a wide range of applications in the real world, including in fields such as engineering, chemistry, and biology. It can be used to design and improve energy systems, understand chemical reactions, and study the behavior of living organisms. It is a fundamental concept in understanding the natural world and has many practical applications.

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