The textbook says "A state function is a property that depends only on the current state of a system. The change in a state function between two states is independent of the path between them. Internal energy is a state function, but work and heat are not."
How can internal energy be a state function but not work and heat when deltaU = q + w?
State Function Clarification [ENDORSED]
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Meagan Kimbrell 1I
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Re: State Function Clarification [ENDORSED]
Think of it this way.
Knowing both q and w (which are both path dependent) provides enough information to calculate Delta U (which is path independent, i.e., a state function).
Knowing both q and w (which are both path dependent) provides enough information to calculate Delta U (which is path independent, i.e., a state function).
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