Final answer:
The first law of thermodynamics applies when pumping air into the tire of a bicycle because work is performed on the tire to push air into it, increasing its internal energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first law of thermodynamics applies when pumping air into the tire of a bicycle because the law states that the change in internal energy of a system equals the net heat transfer into the system minus the net work done by the system.
In this case, when air is pumped into the tire, work is performed on the tire to push the air into it.
This work increases the internal energy of the system, which is the tire.