Thermodynamics

Description of Course Goals and Curriculum

The course focuses on basic principles governing the equilibrium behavior of macroscopic systems and their applications to materials and processes of interest in modern chemical engineering. In the first half of the course we introduce the fundamental concepts: energy conservation (First Law); temperature and entropy (Second Law); thermodynamic potentials; equilibrium and stability; and the molecular basis of thermodynamics. These ideas are then applied to problems such as calculating the equilibrium composition of coexisting phases and reacting mixtures or analyzing the thermodynamic efficiency of cooling and power generation cycles. There are two mid-term quizzes, which naturally breaks the class into two sections. The first focused on the First and Second Laws of thermodynamics, and the second focused on mixtures of materials and relationships between energy forms. The most challenging aspect of the class was that it was highly theoretical, so required patience to understand each derivation. I thoroughly read and reread the textbook, and used the preceptors as a valuable resource. The problem sets are very time-consuming, so office hours are an incredible resource to work with your classmates and ask questions. Following all the examples in the textbook and completing all the practice problems and old exams posted on Blackboard really help you see how the equations are used before exams.

Learning From Classroom Instruction

Aksay focuses on derivations and theory in lecture. He explains the roots of the all the fundamental equations, which you will need to use on problems sets and exams. It really helps to read the textbook chapters as thoroughly as possible before coming to class. He presents the textbook in lecture form, so it might be useful to have textbook open and write in comments or material that Aksay adds in class. It is difficult to follow lecture if you have had no previous exposure to the material. It is essential to stop Aksay when you cannot follow, because if you do not speak up he will fly through the material. Aksay is a fun professor, so occasionally he will perform a demonstration. Before exams he brought us croissants and gave us a problem relating to the thermodynamics of croissants. The textbook is an extremely valuable resource. Read before lecture, reread after lecture, and understand all the examples. Take notes in the textbook, and write down your questions to ask in class and in precept. Every sentence of the textbook shows up in problems sets and exams. Aksay does not provide many examples in class so it is crucial to go to precept and go through all the examples in the textbook to see how the equations are used. In precept, each of the three preceptors took a turn presenting an example problem. It is a night precept, so naturally people are sleepy, but do your best to learn from each example they give.

Learning For and From Assignments

There are problem sets due every week. These problem sets are very time-consuming, but valuable in the learning process. They include both derivations and applied problems. Often the homework problems parallel an example in the textbook. Each problem teaches you a concept or equation you will need to know for the exams. Take your time on the homework and make sure you understand every part of each problem and every assumption you make. Do the problem sets during office hours because they are challenging  and nearly impossible to complete on your own. Occasionally the problem sets require knowledge of Excel and Solver, which the preceptors can help you with. The assessments are very fair, but extremely long. There are two in-class midterm quizzes and a final exam. They consist of some conceptual multiple choice and true-false questions with explanations, as well as some applied free answer questions. It is useful to study by going through all the homework solutions, completing all practice problems on Blackboard, completing and understanding all old exams, and rereading the textbook. The exams are designed so that no one will finish. Do not dwell on any one question. Write down the relevant equations, look for keywords in the problems, eliminate variables that are negligible, and show what you know. If you look at a problem and have no idea after thinking for a while, move on and demonstrate your knowledge on another problem. The graders will give lots of partial credit for simply writing down relevant equations.

External Resources

There are office hours with the preceptors offered three nights per week from 7pm-10pm as well as a one-hour office hour with Aksay. Office hours were an incredible resource: so much learning went on each time. The night office hours are the best way to finish your problem sets. It is best to take a look at the problem set before arriving. The whole class attends, and it is best to work on the problem set with your classmates and ask the preceptors questions when you are confused or unsure. The preceptors are very dedicated and will take the time to explain everything. Office hours were my favorite part of the course. If you need additional help, preceptors will also meet with you individually. Meeting one-on-one can be a valuable resource before exams.

What Students Should Know About This Course For Purposes Of Course Selection

Thermodynamics is incredibly time consuming, and it is not a very intuitive subject. While it is challenging, it is also really interesting. There are incredible resources available for this course mainly the office hours. This class also strongly encourages students to bond with their CBE classmates, which is really nice. While thermodynamics is a challenging class, it is incredibly rewarding when you master the material and it is incredibly useful.