ABSTRACT
Thermodynamics is the branch of science that deals with energy and its transformations. Thermodynamics is normally associated with heat, but the subject deals not only with heat but all forms of energy. From a thermodynamic standpoint, all life forms can be viewed as chemical machines which must obey the laws of energy and heat as most all other nonliving processes. Thermodynamics deals with the energy changes that accompany a process. Strictly speaking, the thermodynamic principles apply only to "closed" systems, defined as those that do not exchange matter with their surroundings or across the system boundary. Thermodynamics is the study of energy and its transformations. It provides an underlying current for the understanding of physical, chemical, and biological systems. The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics form the foundation upon which the science is based. The water and solid fractions of a composting material can be treated as separate components from a thermodynamic standpoint.
