Joule Expansion (Free Expansion of Ideal Gas)
This interactive simulator explores Joule Expansion in Thermodynamics. Ideal gas into vacuum: Q = W = ΔU = 0; ΔS = nR ln 2 when volume doubles. Use the controls to change the scenario; watch the visualization and any graphs or readouts to connect the model with lectures, labs, and homework.
Who it's for: Best once you already know the basic definitions and want to build intuition. Typical context: Thermodynamics.
Key terms
- joule
- expansion
- joule expansion
- thermodynamics
How it works
A microscopic cartoon of irreversible free expansion: same mean kinetic energy, larger positional disorder, and positive entropy change.
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