Talk:Work (thermodynamics)
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[edit] sec pressure-volume work
1. If work is an inexact differential as it is acknowledge and, it is actually, the greek letter delta should be use throught the article incluiding the section pressure-volume work.
2. The following wording is not accurate: "Like all work functions, PV work is path-dependent..." The word 'all' may confuse the reader. It is true at all quantitative expressions of work are path dependent if no further remarks are revealed. But, consider that all form of adiabatic work are path indepent, being this an statemente of the First Law. And please consider that by stating 'adiabatic work' you are not determining the path along the process occurs but a restrection: there may be actually many adiabatic paths conecting two given thermodynamic states all leading to the same amount of work. Thus, adiabatic work, no matter it is quantitative expression, is path independent and it can be regarded as 'work function'.
In the same way, consider that adiabatic PV work is a 'state function'. So the phase "From a thermodynamic perspective, this fact implies that PV work is not a state function." should be carefully rewritten.
3. Perphaps a subscript e should be added to external pressure. This is customary in thermodynamics literature so as to distiguish pressure ---as an equilibrium property of the thermodynamical system--- (p) from external pressure (p_e).
4. 'W= Work done on the system' may lead the reader to consider that work done by the system is different.
Etaoin Shdrlu 11:56, 7 October 2006 (UTC)
I'm not much of an expert in this field, but doesn't anyone think it's rather inconsistent to use dE = dQ - dW, where dW is defined as the work done by the system, and then use dW=-PdV, where dW is instead defined as the work done on a system? If it's convention, at least note this to the reader. 208.120.192.196 00:51, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
