Micro View of Matter, Kinetic Theory of Gases

Matter comes in three main states, solids, liquids, and gases. The kinetic theory of gases models a gas as a collection of seldom interacting particles, flying around in random directions. The molecules of the gas have a range of speeds, due to their occasional interaction. For a complete energy analysis this motion of the particles of the gas needs to be accounted for.

• Lecture 1 | Micro View of Matter, Kinetic Theory of Gases

State Variables & Equations of State, Ideal Gas

The ideal gas law is a model that explains the observed relationships between thermodynamic quantities, such as temperature and pressure, of a lot of different gases. It was discovered experimentally, which is why it's called a law. For a gas to behave ideally, the particles the gas is comprised of must not interact, meaning they do not run into each other. This means that not all gases behave ideally and there is a degree to how ideal a gas is.

• Lecture 2 | State Variables & Equations of State, Ideal Gas

1st Law of Thermodynamics, Energy Transfers

The First Law of Thermodynamics is one we talk about often. It is an extension of the Conservation of Mechanical Energy previously learned. It states that the change in thermal energy (E_th) of a system can be done via two mechanisms, heat transfer (Q) and work (W).

ΔEth=Q+W

• Lecture 1 | 1st Law of Thermodynamics, Energy Transfers

Specific Heat, Phase Transformations, Calorimetry

We dedicated a section with the title Heat to cover the concepts of a material property called Specific Heat and Latent Heat of Transformation, along with the experimental tool called Calorimetry. Specific heat is a measure of how much energy (per mass) must be exchanged to change the temperature of a substance a certain amount. Latent heat of transformation is a measure of how much energy (per mass) must be exchanged to take a substance over a phase transition, like from a liquid to a solid.

• Lecture 2 | Specific Heat, Phase Transformations, Calorimetry

Conduction, Convection, Radiation

Conduction, convection, and radiation are the three different ways energy can be transfered via heat. Conduction is when energy transfers from one molecule to the next via collisions. Imagine higher energy (greater temp) particles on the inside of a window bumping into their neighbors, when then bump in their neighbors and so on.

• Lecture 3 | Conduction, Convection, Radiation

Entropy, 2nd Law

Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics are tough subjects to cover lightly. Entropy can be thought of as a measure of how much thermal energy per degree Kelvin is unavailable to do work. It is also a measure of disorder in a system. The second law of thermodynamics states that an isolated system will increase its entropy until it reaches equilibrium, where at that point the entropy is maximum and the system is the most disordered.

• Lecture 1 | Entropy, 2nd Law

Heat Engines

We use thermodynamic machines to do our bidding in modern society. Combustion engines, refrigerators, even your cell phone can be studied as a thermodynamic system under going cycles. The analysis of such a system culminates our study of thermo because it incorporates many of the features learned about - ideal gas law, 1st and 2nd law of thermo, and the kinetic theory of gases are all relevant.

• Lecture 1 | Heat Engines

PV Diagrams, Processes

PV-Diagrams chart the change in pressure and volume of some gas as it undergoes some thermodynamic process. They are typically a plot with pressure on the vertical axis and volume on the horizontal. They show transitions from one state (Pi,Vi) to another state (Pf,Vf).

• Lecture 2 | PV Diagrams, Processes

Cycles & Efficiency

Smarter Every Day explains the workings of a perfect example of a thermodynamics system, an engine.

• Lecture 3 | Cycles & Efficiency

Pressure at a Depth, Pascal's Principle

Many of the empirical observation within the field of fluid mechanics lead to equations or laws that are dependent on the mass of the fluid or object being observed. Often times we cannot directly measure the mass but know information about the volume of the fluid or object. Thus we can use the material property called mass density to determine the mass of a given volume of material.

• Lecture 1 | Pressure at a Depth, Pascal's Principle

Hydraulics, Buoyancy

In this section we will explore Archimedes principle which relates an upward force acting on an object that is fully or partially submerged within a fluid to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces. We will also build upon our understanding of density, pressure, and hydrostatics to quantify the buoyant force.

• Lecture 2 | Hydraulics, Buoyancy

Continuity, Bernoulli

This section will introduce perhaps the most fundamental principle in our studies of fluid mechanics, Bernoulli’s principle. It is a direct application of conservation of mechanical energy density and proves useful for both fluid dynamics and fluid statics. Bernoulli’s equation and the continuity equation are usually the two most useful tools when approaching a fluid mechanics problem.

• Lecture 1 | Continuity, Bernoulli