GACE Physics Practice Exam

The first law of thermodynamics fundamentally relates to the principle of conservation of energy. This law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system; instead, it can only change forms. In practical terms, this means that any energy added to a system must either increase the internal energy of the system or do work on the surroundings.

When heat energy is added to a system, it can lead to a change in the internal energy of that system or result in work being done by the system. For instance, when gas in a closed container is heated, the energy supplied causes the gas molecules to move more vigorously, which can increase the temperature (internal energy) or cause the gas to expand and do work against the container walls.

The first law serves as a foundational concept in thermodynamics, linking various forms of energy such as kinetic, potential, and thermal energy, all under the umbrella of the principle of energy conservation. This relationship is critical for understanding how energy transfer occurs in different thermodynamic processes.