Simulations
Simulations of Thermodynamics
First Law of Thermodynamics
Process type
Heat (Q)
+200 J
Work (W)
+80 J
ΔU (internal energy)
+120 J
ΔU = 200 − 80 = +120 J
Gas heats up — internal energy increases
Overview
Explore the First Law of Thermodynamics ($\Delta U = Q – W$) by adjusting heat and work on a gas-filled cylinder. This core principle explains how car engines and refrigerators operate.
Controls
Select a thermodynamic process (General, Isothermal, Adiabatic, or Isochoric) and use the sliders to add or remove Heat (Q) and Work (W).
Observations
Watch the piston physically expand and compress, observe gas temperature and color shifts, and track the real-time balancing of the energy equation.
Conduction, Convection, and Radiation
Toggle mechanisms and adjust fire intensity to observe the physics of heat movement.
Active Mechanisms
Loading active physics data…
Overview
Explore the three mechanisms of heat transfer (conduction, convection, and radiation) by interacting with a digital campfire. This fundamental physics concept explains how thermal energy moves through solids, fluids, and open space.
Controls
Toggle specific heat transfer methods (Conduction, Convection, Radiation) on or off, and use the slider to adjust the overall fire intensity.
Observations
Watch heat travel progressively through the solid metal rod, observe cyclic fluid currents rising above the flames, and track infrared energy waves radiating outward as the fire's intensity changes.
The Ideal Gas Law
Constant R = 0.0821 L·atm/(mol·K)
Overview
Explore the relationships of the Ideal Gas Law P = nRT/V using an interactive gas-filled container with a movable piston. This simulation demonstrates how changing volume, temperature, and molecular amount dynamically impacts pressure.
Controls
Use the sliders to adjust the gas Volume (V), system Temperature (T), and the overall Amount of Gas (n) in moles.
Observations
Watch the piston physically compress or expand the chamber, observe gas particles speed up or slow down with temperature shifts, and track real-time changes to the calculated pressure reading.
Kinetic Theory of Gases
Overview
Explore the Kinetic Theory of Gases through an interactive simulation of molecular motion. This tool visualizes how temperature and mass dictate the speed of individual molecules and how their constant collisions generate pressure.
Controls
Toggle between four distinct views (Molecular Motion, Pressure, Speed Distribution, and Light vs Heavy). Use the interactive sliders to adjust the Temperature and Molecule Count, or use the dropdown menu to select different real-world gas types.
Observations
Watch molecules visibly accelerate as temperature increases, observe the red flashes as wall collisions actively generate pressure, and study the Maxwell-Boltzmann curves to see exactly why lighter gases travel significantly faster than heavier ones at the same temperature.
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Overview
Explore the thermodynamics of a theoretical Carnot Heat Engine by altering reservoir temperatures. This simulation demonstrates maximum theoretical engine efficiency eta =T_c/T_h and illustrates how energy splits into useful work versus unavoidable waste heat.
Controls
Use the interactive sliders to adjust the Hot Reservoir Temperature T_h and the Cold Reservoir Temperature T_c.
Observations
Watch the engine's thermal efficiency shift dynamically as the temperature gap changes, observe real-time recalculations of work output versus waste heat per 100 Joules, and track the shifting energy division on the visual bar graph.
Note: More categories coming soon
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