Abstract
The amount of substance is one of the four fundamental properties of the thermodynamics in homogeneous media, along with volume, internal energy and entropy. This is a concept taught since high school, but it is not as elementary as it might seem. One aspect not always clear is the fact that it is related to the number of particles of the same chemical species present in the system, although varying at the same time in a continuum way, as do the other three fundamental properties.
Keywords
amount of substance, quantity of matter, mole, fundamentals of thermodynamics, homogeneous medium
Author
Adalberto B. M. S. Bassi
Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química
Translated by
João C. de Andrade
Revised by
Carol H. Collins
Abstract
This article presents the definitions of amount of substance, mole and concentration, in addition to the various units accepted by the International System for expressing concentration.
Keywords
molar mass, mole, concentration, molarity, molality, SI
Authors
João Carlos de Andrade
Rogério Custodio
Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química
Translated by
João C. de Andrade
Revised by
Carol H. Collins
Abstract
Mathematics and Thermodynamics seem to be immiscible. Thermodynamicists take their own mathematical path which needs to return more than a century in time to meet the actual science done presently by mathematicians. Mathematicians are usually not interested in thermodynamics, and when they are, their work is not easily understood by thermodynamicists. Although both seem very well accommodated in this situation, scientific developments will inevitably disturb this peaceful coexistence.
Keywords
thermodynamics, fundaments of thermodynamics, applied mathematics, differential, infinitesimal
Author
Adalberto B. M. S. Bassi
Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química
Translated by
João C. de Andrade
Revised by
Carol H. Collins
