Commonly Asked Questions in Thermodynamics: Edition 2

This edition begins by setting out the fundamentals of thermodynamics, including its basic laws and overarching principles. It provides explanations of those principles in an organized manner, using questions that arise frequently from undergraduates in the classroom as the stimulus. These early chapters explore the language of thermodynamics; the first and second laws; statistical mechanical theory; measurement of thermodynamic quantities and their relationships; phase behavior in single and multicomponent systems; electrochemistry; and chemical and biochemical reaction equilibria. The later chapters explore applications of these fundamentals to a diverse set of subjects including power generation (with and without fossil fuels) for transport, industrial and domestic use; heating; decarbonization technologies; energy storage; refrigeration; environmental pollution; and biotechnology. Data sources for the properties needed to complete thermodynamic evaluations of many processes are included.

The text is designed for readers to dip into to find an answer to a specific question where thermodynamics can provide some, if not all, of the answers, whether in the context of an undergraduate course or not. Thus its readership extends beyond conventional technical undergraduates to practicing engineers and also to the interested lay person who seeks to understand the discourse that surrounds the choice of particular technological solutions to current and future energy and material production problems.