Txhawm rau piav qhia txog cov txheej txheem thermodynamic uas tsis rov qab tau, cov kws tshawb fawb tau tsim txoj cai thib ob ntawm thermodynamics. Txoj cai thib ob ntawm thermodynamics piav qhia txog cov txheej txheem twg tuaj yeem tshwm sim hauv lub ntiaj teb thiab cov txheej txheem twg tsis tuaj yeem tshwm sim. Ib tug kws tshawb fawb hu ua RJE Clausius (1822-1888) tau hais cov lus hauv qab no:
Ntuj tsim teb raug, cua sov txav ntawm cov khoom kub siab mus rau cov khoom kub qis; ntuj tsim teb raug, cua sov tsis mus ntawm cov khoom kub qis mus rau cov khoom kub siab (Txoj cai thib ob ntawm thermodynamics - Clausius cov lus).
Cov lus ntawm Clausius yog ib qho ntawm cov lus tshwj xeeb ntawm txoj cai thib ob ntawm thermodynamics. Nws hu ua cov lus tshwj xeeb vim nws tsuas yog siv rau ib qho txheej txheem xwb, cuam tshuam nrog kev hloov pauv cua sov. Vim tias cov lus no tsis cuam tshuam nrog lwm cov txheej txheem, peb xav tau cov lus dav dav dua. Kev tsim cov lus dav dav ntawm txoj cai thib ob ntawm thermodynamics yog raws li kev kawm txog cov cav cua sov. Yog li ntawd, peb tham txog cua sov ntawm lub cav ua ntej.
Observe an object which moves vertically upwards until reaching a maximum height before moving downwards towards its initial position. When moving vertically upwards by h, the weight is opposite in direction from displacement. Thus, the weight does negative work on the object.