Laws of Thermodynamics

The first established principle of thermodynamics (which eventually became the Second Law) was formulated by Sadi
Carnot in 1824. By 1860, as found in the works of those as Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson, there were two
established "principles" of thermodynamics, the first principle and the second principle. As the years passed, these
principles turned into "laws." By 1873, for example, thermodynamicist Willard Gibbs, in his Graphical Methods in the
Thermodynamics of Fluids, clearly stated that there were two absolute laws of thermodynamics, a first law and a
second law."

Zeroth Law First Law Second Law Third Law

When each of two Because energy cannot be
systems is in created or destroyed (with the
equilibrium with a third, special exception of nuclear
the first two systems reactions) the amount of heat
must be in equilibrium transferred into a system plus the
with each other. This amount of work done on the
shared property of system must result in a
equilibrium is the corresponding increase of internal
temperature. The energy in the system. Heat and
concept of temperature work are mechanisms by which
is based on this Zeroth systems exchange energy with
Law. one another. This First Law of
thermodynamics identifies caloric,
or heat, as a form of energy.
Entropythat is, the disorder The Third Law of
of an isolated system can thermodynamics states
never decrease. Therefore, that absolute zero cannot
when an isolated system be attained by any
achieves a configuration of procedure in a finite
maximum entropy, it can no number of steps. Absolute
longer undergo change (it has zero can be approached
reached equilibrium). arbitrarily closely, but it
Additionally, it is not enough can never be reached.
to conserve energy and thus
obey the First Law. A machine
that would deliver work while
violating the second law is
called a "perpetual-motion
machine of the second kind."
In such a system, energy
could then be continually
drawn from a cold
environment to do work in a
hot environment at no cost.