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I suggest you start with the basics if you haven't have and go to the Introduction Tutorial and specifically to the Quick Start Guide to OpenStudio Modeling Tools. The OpenStudio Quick Start Guide (PDF) does explain what each tab is and what it's used for.

To answer your specific questions:

• On the thermal zone tab, you will define the heating and cooling schedules and any ZoneHVAC components (a PTHP, a baseboard, etc), that isn't part of an air loop (you'll also see AirTerminal units on this tab but you typically assign this though the HVAC tab). Take a look at the Input Output reference for Zone Equipment. You'll typically assign the Zone Forced Air Units and the Radiative/Convective Units on the Thermal Zones tab.
• On the HVAC tab you will define plant loop and air loops.

• OpenStudio is object-oriented (as in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)), and has as such as concept of inheritance. This is extremely important (and awesome compared to other software lacking it, like eQuest). You need to read this OpenStudio Model Objects page, and especially the inheritance diagram.

  • To give you an example of what that means: I can set a default construction set for my entire building and that will apply to each surface, unless I have specified (=hard coded) a different construction set at a lower (abstraction) level, such as for a story, a space type, or a space. It means that I can say that my external walls should be of type X, unless it's my BuildingStory Basement and then I want it to be of type Y. I don't have to apply it to each surface, which is a huge time saver.
• the Facility Tab has the highest levels of abstraction: Building (highest), and Stories. Also has the shading and exterior equipment. In my Exampe above, you would assign the default construction set of type X to the building. And you would assign the construction set of type Y to the story Basement

This might not be the clearest explanation, but I'm sure once you take a look at the links I gave you, you'll be able to make sense of it.

I suggest you start with the basics if you haven't have done it yet and go to the Introduction Tutorial and specifically to the Quick Start Guide to OpenStudio Modeling Tools. The OpenStudio Quick Start Guide (PDF) does explain what each tab is and what it's used for.

To answer your specific questions:

• On the thermal zone tab, you will define the heating and cooling schedules and any ZoneHVAC components (a PTHP, a baseboard, etc), that isn't part of an air loop (you'll also see AirTerminal units on this tab but you typically assign this though the HVAC tab). Take a look at the Input Output reference for Zone Equipment. You'll typically assign the Zone Forced Air Units and the Radiative/Convective Units on the Thermal Zones tab.
• On the HVAC tab you will define plant loop and air loops.

• OpenStudio is object-oriented (as in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)), and has as such as concept of inheritance. This is extremely important (and awesome compared to other software lacking it, like eQuest). You need to read this OpenStudio Model Objects page, and especially the inheritance diagram.

  • To give you an example of what that means: I can set a default construction set for my entire building and that will apply to each surface, unless I have specified (=hard coded) a different construction set at a lower (abstraction) level, such as for a story, a space type, or a space. It means that I can say that my external walls should be of type X, unless it's my BuildingStory Basement and then I want it to be of type Y. I don't have to apply it to each surface, which is a huge time saver.
• the Facility Tab has the highest levels of abstraction: Building (highest), and Stories. Also has the shading and exterior equipment. In my Exampe above, you would assign the default construction set of type X to the building. And you would assign the construction set of type Y to the story Basement

This might not be the clearest explanation, but I'm sure once you take a look at the links I gave you, you'll be able to make sense of it.