Thermodynamics in Energy Engineering (FutureLearn)

Understand the first and second laws of thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is concerned with heat and work, and the conversion of energy between the two. The course will introduce two important laws of nature that govern this conversion – the first and second laws of thermodynamics – and discuss the usefulness of energy and entropy functions in relation to them.

We will also explore the influence of several physical variables on the change of energy and entropy functions, and introduce additional functions, such as enthalpy, which are useful in dealing with physical and chemical equilibrium.

Discover how thermodynamics governs the universe and our everyday lives

By the end of the course, you will be comfortable discussing the laws of thermodynamics and how they govern the largest thermodynamic system of all – the Universe.

You may think that engineering theory is difficult to understand, but this course will help you master it with ease, through examples from our everyday lives.

What topics will you cover?

- Introduction to the first law of thermodynamics: The concept of conservation of energy, closed and open systems

- Mathematical formulation of the first law and examples to demonstrate the use of energy balance equations

- Calculation of energy changes and enthalpy changes involved in chemical reaction

- The meaning of equation of state and demonstration of the usefulness of equation of state for ideal gases in relating the physical variables in various situations

- Introduction to The second law of thermodynamics: why the 2nd law is the entropy principle, what the entropy is and how the entropy is related to the useful energy

- Focus on the traditional interpretation of entropy and the closely related topics

- Exercise showing the relation between total entropy and reversibility

- Focus on solving entropy change problems to illustrate the relation between entropy and reversibility

- Introduction to the third law of thermodynamics: The temperature principle which is essential to solve problems related to the entropy changes

- Definition of free energy derived from the criteria for reversibility and the physical meaning of free energy

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Discuss the usefulness of energy and entropy functions

- Explore the influence of physical variables on the change of energy and entropy functions

- Understand the first and second laws of thermodynamics