What is the internal energy of an object?

Correct answer: B. It is the sum of all the microscopic potential and kinetic energies of the molecules

  • A. It is the energy associated with the object's movement through space.
  • B. It is the sum of all the microscopic potential and kinetic energies of the molecules
  • C. It is the energy due to attractions between the molecules within the object.
  • D. It is the energy associated with the random movement of the molecules in the object.

Explanation

Internal energy includes energy on a microscopic scale. It is the sum of all the microscopic energies such as: translational kinetic energy, vibrational and rotational kinetic energy, and potential energy from intermolecular forces.

This question appeared on the HEC Phase II 2017 paper, which you can sit online with every answer explained.

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About First Law of Thermodynamics

The first law relates heat supplied, work done and the change in internal energy through energy conservation. Problems use sign conventions and apply the law to isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric and isochoric processes. Internal energy is a state function, while heat and work depend on the path followed.

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