Question

The first law of thermodynamics states that:

a. Heat must flow from hotter to colder parts until equilibrium is reached.
b. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.
c. The total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time.
d. Pressure of an ideal gas is directly proportional to its absolute

Answer 1

The first law of thermodynamics states that in a closed system, energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be transformed or transferred from one form to another.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first law of thermodynamics, often referred to as the law of conservation of energy, states that the total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant; it can neither be created nor destroyed. Instead, energy can be transferred from one form to another or transformed. For example, a light bulb transforms electrical energy into light energy, and a gas stove turns chemical energy from natural gas into heat energy.

Energy transformation and transfer are continually occurring around us. The first law of thermodynamics can also be expressed in an equation form as ΔU = Q - W, where ΔU represents the change in internal energy, Q is the net heat transfer into the system, and W is the net work done by the system.

The correct answer to the student's question is b. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.