We have learned two equations that relate the concepts of heat (transfer of thermal energy), Q, and temperature (density of thermal energy), T. They are:

1. The equation for the heat capacity of an object:
2. The equation for the change in entropy of an object: 

These look similar. They both have Q's and T's, but the Deltas are in different places!

A) Describe carefully what situation each equation describes, what the symbols each mean, and what you think are the similarities and differences between them.

B) Now lets consider the implications of these equations for a microscopic object with 12 "bins"  (degrees of freedom) where energy can be located, and 30 "chunks" of energy distributed among those bins. The microscopic object is "isolated" in the sense that energy cannot flow into or out of the object

B1)  Calculate C, T, and S

B2) Now consider a process where you are adding three "chunks" of energy to the microscopic object.  Which one of the symbols in the two equations above describe the process?  What is their value?  For the other symbols, what is their end value after the energy is added?

Joe Redish 

Wolfgang Losert