Unit 1

Unit 1

Unit 1 • Unit 2 • Unit 3 • Unit 4

Classical Thermodynamics

February 1 to February 18

You should review the notes and videos below by Thursday, February 18.

Your response to Discussion Question 1 is due Tuesday, February 9, at 5pm.
Your solutions to Problem Set 1 are due Thursday, February 11, at 5pm.
Your response to Discussion Question 2 is due Tudesday, February 16, at 5pm.
Your solutions to Problem Set 2 are due Thursday, February 18, at 5pm.

In this unit we will review the postulates and variables of Classical Thermodynamics, discuss the conditions for thermal equilibrium, and define the various free energies that we will use throught the rest of the course. First derivatives of the free energies give the equations of state, while second derivatives give the response functions. We will end the unit with a discussion of heat engines, so this is your chance, at long last, to understand the Carnot cycle!

Below is a list of links to course notes for each topic in this unit, followed by links to recorded video lectures.

Notes and Video Lectures

Notes 1-1 • Video 1-1 [71 min] - Postulates and Variables of Classical Thermodynamics
Notes 1-2 • Video 1-2 [70 min] - Conditions for Equilibrium, Concavity of the Entropy
Notes 1-3 • Video 1-3 [77 min] - The Gibbs-Duhem Relation, Entropy of the Ideal Gas, Energy Minimum Principle
Notes 1-4 • Video 1-4 [38 min] - Legendre Transformations
Notes 1-5 • Video 1-5 [34 min] - Free Energies
Notes 1-6 • Video 1-6 [36 min] - Reservoirs and the Extremum Principles for Free Energy
Notes 1-7 • Video 1-7 [11 min] - The Maxwell Relations
Notes 1-8 • Video 1-8 [55 min] - Response Functions
Notes 1-9 • Video 1-9 [50 min] - Stability and Response Functions
Notes 1-10 • Video 1-10 [39 min] - Heat Engines
Notes 1-10 - Supplemental note on the Carnot Cycle