Based on 5.601 Thermodynamics I, this course introduces learners to fundamental concepts in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Learners will develop an understanding of fundamental thermodynamic principles and how they arise from molecular scale system properties. This course is the first in a series of two thermodynamics courses that together, cover chemical thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, phase equilibria, and kinetics.
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In this course, you will explore the foundational principles of thermodynamics for chemical systems and how these principles connect to the properties of the molecules that comprise them. You will explore the laws of thermodynamics and how they combine to establish the relationships between entropy, energy, work, and heat flow. You will then leverage these relationships to understand the nature of equilibrium and the forces that drive spontaneous transformations. You will then be introduced to the field of statistical mechanics, which formalizes the molecular scale origins of thermodynamic principles. Finally, you will leverage your understanding of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to explore fundamental applications, including heat engines, calorimetry, and equilibrium in multi-component systems.
Prerequisites:
- Undergraduate General Chemistry (e.g. 5.01x - General Chemistry I: Atoms, Molecules, and Bonding and 5.02x - General Chemistry II: Chemical Equilibrium, Kinetics, and Transition Metals recommended)
- Multi-Variable Calculus
What you'll learn
- Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics
- Spontaneity and the Second and Third Laws of Thermodynamics
- Statistical Mechanics
- Chemical Potential and Applications of Thermodynamics
