Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: 2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Name: Ernesto del Villar

Content Area: Physics

Grade Level: high school physics

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

HS-PS3-4. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy
when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results
in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of
thermodynamics). [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on analyzing data from student investigations
and using mathematical thinking to describe the energy changes both quantitatively and conceptually.
Examples of investigations could include mixing liquids at different initial temperatures or adding objects
at different temperatures to water.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to investigations based
on materials and tools provided to students.]

Big Ideas:
The unit lesson introduces entropy and the second law of thermodynamics, one of four thermodynamic laws. The lesson examines
the implications of the second law of thermodynamics and its connection to the other thermodynamic laws.

Unit Goals and Objectives:

Goals: Understand why the natural process of thermal energy transfer from a high temperature system to a low temperature
system occurs but never the
opposite occurs.
Objectives: 1.) Understand and use the state variables temperature, pressure, volume, moles.
2.) Understand and practice using pV-diagrams.
3.) Understand heat and the process of heat transfer.
4.) Recognize that thermodynamics has practical applications to real devices.
5.) Understand the concept of entropy, ordered and disordered states, reversibility. irreversibility

Unit Summary:
In this unit students are introduced to the 2nd law of thermodynamics. They shall also learn about entropy and its connection to
the 2nd law. Emphasis is placed on the key concepts of entropy, ordered and disordered states, and irreversibility.

Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level: Understand zeroth law of
thermodynamics, 1st law of
thermodynamics, heat,
temperature, pV-diagrams, pressure,
volume

Formative: critical thinking questions,

pop quizzes,
mid lesson exams, create a concept map

Summative: Students choose a research

topic for presentation which must a
connection with entropy or 2nd law of
thermodynamics.

Lesson 1
Student Learning
Objective:
Recognize and use the
state variables
temperature, volume,
pressure and entropy
and develop a
conceptual
understanding of the
2nd law.
Lesson 2

Acceptable Evidence:
Students take quizzes
and tests to assess
level of
comprehension

Instructional
Strategies:
x Communication
Collection
Collaboration
x Presentation
x Organization
x Interaction

Lesson Activities: Students complete the lesson worksheet,

participate in class discussions and group discussions,
conduct lab experiments, write and submit lab reports.

Student Learning
Objective:
Begin to acquire the
skill to conceptually
solve physical
problems with a
minimum of
computation.
Lesson 3

Acceptable Evidence:
Students use the
recommended
resources and answer
the questions
correctly

Instructional
Strategies:
x Communication
Collection
Collaboration
x Presentation
Organization
x Interaction

Lesson Activities: Students answer conceptually based

questions by completing a webercise activity.

Student Learning
Objective:
They understand the
relationship of
entropy to heat,
temperature, state
variable, internal
energy of a system

Acceptable Evidence:
Students correctly
make the connection
of entropy to heat,
temperature and
internal energy by
taking a unit exam.

Instructional
Strategies:
Communication
Collection
x Collaboration
x Presentation
x Organization
x Interaction

Lesson Activities: Students create a concept map one of the

organizational tools Gliffy, Popplet, SmartArt or Mindmeister.

Unit Resources:
Physics: for scientists and engineers by Lawrence Lerner
Physics, a contemporary perspective by Randall Knight
Conceptual Physics by Paul Hewitt

Useful Websites:
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)

Heat Transfer- University of Virginia

Science in School- The Effect of Heat: Simple Experiments with Solids, Liquids and Gases
Mixing Water Energy Activities
The Physics Classroom- Thermal Physics - Lesson 1 - Heat and Temperature: Methods of Heat Transfer
Videos of Transfer of Energy Experiments Mixing Liquids