## Internal energy as a state function

$\Delta U=q+w$

Maria Bajenov 1I
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Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:06 am

### Internal energy as a state function

How can internal energy be a state function if work (a component of it) is not?

sahiltelang-Discussion 1J
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 3:00 am

### Re: Internal energy as a state function

both components that add up to the change in internal energy are path-dependent, but deltaU is not dependent. Most energy values are state functions, because they can conceptually be thought of as a position. Just like you can have a displacement in your position, the current energy state can be displaced to a different value and irrespective of the "how it was changed", it changed by a certain amount.

Rachel Formaker 1E
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Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am
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### Re: Internal energy as a state function

Internal energy is a state function because it depends only on the initial and final states of the internal energy.

Although work is not a state function, as long as the sum of work done and heat transferred is the same, the change in internal energy will be the same regardless of the pathway taken to get to the final state.

Sandhya Rajkumar 1C
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Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2017 11:40 am

### Re: Internal energy as a state function

Internal energy (U) us a state property because changes in internal energy are a function of initial and final states. It doesn't depend on the path taken, it just depends on the initial and final state. (delta U = Ufinal - Uinitial)