Introduction to Thermodynamics

Many students consider thermodynamics to be a difficult subject because of the excessively mathematical treatment found in many textbooks. In this book, the author introduces a new approach to the subject in which the supporting mathematics is kept to a minimum and thermodynamic situations and devices are described in terms of concepts that can be easily visualized. The book is designed for the first year of the thermodynamics syllabus of an undergraduate programme in mechanical engineering. It is written with the express aim of allowing students to self-learn the material and emphasis is placed on simplifying the mathematics and on the modelling of real engineering situations. It is recognized that thermodynamics is a problem-solving activity and worked examples are included throughout the book. In addition, problems are provided at the end of each chapter and these are followed by outline solutions. Each chapter opens with a list of the learning aims and concludes with a summary of key words and key equations. The concept of entropy, which is often found difficult by students, is introduced at an early stage in a straightforward manner.