Thermodynamics: Legendre Transforms, Maxwell Relations, Chemical Work, and Thermophysical Properties
Channel: Beckman WSU Official
Date: 2022-02-22

In this lecture I demonstrate how Legendre transforms can be applied to define useful expressions of the state function, i.e., thermodynamic potentials, including the Helmholtz free energy and the Gibbs free energy. We examine the derivation of Maxwell relations and see that the first derivative of the potentials yield the thermodynamic variables. The second derivative of the potentials are measurable thermophysical properties, such as the isothermal compressibility, thermal coefficient of expansion, and heat capacity.  (F22_L06A)