Coursera

Statistical Thermodynamics: Molecules to Machines (Coursera)

Offered by Carnegie Mellon University,

Modern engineering research focuses on designing new materials and processes at the molecular level. Statistical thermodynamics provides the formalism for understanding how molecular interactions lead to the observed collective behavior at the macroscale. This course will develop a molecular-level understanding of key thermodynamic quantities like heat, work, free energy and entropy. These concepts will be applied in understanding several important engineering and biological applications.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Syllabus

Week 1: Theory: Classical Thermodynamics
Week 2: Theory: Introduction to Statistics and Statistical Thermodynamics
Week 3: Theory: Non-interacting systems
Week 4: Theory: Interacting systems
Week 5: Applications: Water, Polymer and Photosynthesis
Week 6: Applications: Photosynthesis, Liquids
Week 7: Application: Adsorption, Electrolytes
Week 8: Thank You

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Coursera

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - HKUST

Understanding Modern Physics II: Quantum Mechanics and Atoms (Coursera)

Engineering Sci: Physics

The 20th century was known as the century of physics. In the past 120 years, concepts such as space, time, energy, entropy and particles were understood to much deeper levels. New paradigms of thinking such as relativity and quantum mechanics emerged. This course is the second course in the Understanding Modern Physics series, which covers an introduction to quantum mechanics, atomic physics and quantum information.

Aug 3rd 2026

4 Weeks

Physics Atom Quantum Mechanics

Coursera

Tel Aviv University

Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences

For centuries we have collectively marveled at plant diversity and form—from Charles Darwin’s early fascination with stems and flowers to Seymour Krelborn’s distorted doting in Little Shop of Horrors. This course intends to present an intriguing and scientifically valid look at how plants themselves experience the world—from the colors they see to the sensations they feel. Highlighting the latest research in genetics and more, we will delve into the inner lives of plants and draw parallels with the human senses to reveal that we have much more in common with sunflowers and oak trees than we may realize.

Aug 3rd 2026

5-12 Weeks

Biology Genetics Photosynthesis

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers 2 (edX)

EdX

StanfordOnline

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers 2 (edX)

Engineering Sci: Physics

This course covers key topics in the use of quantum mechanics in many modern applications in science and technology, introduces core advanced concepts such as spin, identical particles, the quantum mechanics of light, the basics of quantum information, and the interpretation of quantum mechanics, and covers the major ways in which quantum mechanics is written and used in modern practice.

Self Paced

Self-Paced

Science Mechanics Quantum

Coursera

University of Colorado Boulder

Non-Equilibrium Applications of Statistical Thermodynamics (Coursera)

Engineering

Course 5 of Statistical Thermodynamics explores three different applications of non-equilibrium statistical thermodynamics. The first is the transport behavior of ideal gases, with some discussion of transport in dense gases and liquids. It starts with simple estimates of the transport properties of an ideas gas. It then introduces the Boltzmann Equation and describes the Chapman-Enskog solution of that equation in order to obtain the transport properties. It closes with a discussion of practical sources of transport properties.

Aug 3rd 2026

3 Weeks

Thermodynamics Mechanical Engineering Solids

Coursera

University of Colorado Boulder

Ideal Gases (Coursera)

Engineering

Course 3 of Statistical Thermodynamics, Ideal Gases, explores the behavior of systems when intermolecular forces are not important. This done by evaluating the appropriate partition functions for translational, rotational, vibrational and/or electronic motion. We start with pure ideal gases including monatomic, diatomic and polyatomic species.

Aug 3rd 2026

3 Weeks

Chemistry Thermodynamics Mechanical Engineering

Coursera

University of Colorado Boulder

Theory of Angular Momentum (Coursera)

Engineering Sci: Physics

This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA xxxx, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. This course introduces the quantum mechanical concept of angular momentum operator and its relationship with rotation operator. It then presents the angular momentum operators, their eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. Finally, it covers the theory of angular momentum addition.

Aug 3rd 2026

3 Weeks

Quantum Mechanics Angular Momentum Rotation

Coursera

University of Colorado Boulder

Quantum Mechanics (Coursera)

Engineering

Course 2 of Statistical Thermodynamics presents an introduction to quantum mechanics at a level appropriate for those with mechanical or aerospace engineering backgrounds. Using a postulatory approach that describes the steps to follow, the Schrodinger wave equation is derived and simple solutions obtained that illustrate atomic and molecular structural behavior. More realistic behavior is also explored along with modern quantum chemistry numerical solution methods for solving the wave equation.

Aug 3rd 2026

3 Weeks

Chemistry Thermodynamics Quantum Mechanics

Coursera

Novosibirsk State University

Basics of thermodynamics (Coursera)

Engineering Sci: Physics

Our course on the basics of thermodynamics targeting a wide audience includes only what is absolutely necessary, focusing on the most basic issues, excluding less important specialized topics. However, you will learn about unusual phenomena such as stretched liquid and see interesting experiments. A future competent specialist, whose work should be at least somehow connected with physical phenomena, will find this course in thermodynamics useful and necessary.

Aug 1st 2022

5-12 Weeks

Thermodynamics Heat Transfer Thermodynamics Physics

Coursera

Georgia Institute of Technology

Material Processing (Coursera)

Engineering

Have you ever wondered why ceramics are hard and brittle while metals tend to be ductile? Why some materials conduct heat or electricity while others are insulators? Why adding just a small amount of carbon to iron results in an alloy that is so much stronger than the base metal? In this course, you will learn how a material’s properties are determined by the microstructure of the material, which is in turn determined by composition and the processing that the material has undergone.

Aug 17th 2026

2 Weeks

Thermodynamics Mechanical Engineering Crystal Structures

Coursera

University of Colorado Boulder

Dense Gases, Liquids and Solids (Coursera)

Engineering

Course 4 of Statistical Thermodynamics addresses dense gases, liquids, and solids. As the density of a gas is increased, intermolecular forces begin to affect behavior. For small departures from ideal gas behavior, known as the dense gas limit, one can estimate the change in properties using the concept of a configuration integral, a modification to the partition function.

Aug 3rd 2026

4 Weeks

Thermodynamics Mechanical Engineering Solids

Coursera

University of Kentucky

Advanced Chemistry (Coursera)

Sci: Chemistry

A chemistry course to cover selected topics covered in advanced high school chemistry courses, correlating to the standard topics as established by the American Chemical Society.

Jan 13th 2025

5-12 Weeks

Chemistry Thermodynamics Kinetic Energy

Coursera

Rice University

General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application (Coursera)

Sci: Chemistry

This course will cover the topics of a full year, two semester General Chemistry course. We will use a free on-line textbook, Concept Development Studies in Chemistry, available via Rice’s Connexions project. The fundamental concepts in the course will be introduced via the Concept Development Approach developed at Rice University. In this approach, we will develop the concepts you need to know from experimental observations and scientific reasoning rather than simply telling you the concepts and then asking you to simply memorize or apply them.

Jul 27th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Energy Chemistry Molecules