course-details-portlet

TFY4165 - Thermal Physics

About

Examination arrangement

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Evaluation Weighting Duration Grade deviation Examination aids
School exam 100/100 4 hours C

Course content

Thermodynamics:

The energy concept. Temperature. First and Second law of thermodynamics. Work, heat and internal energy. Equations of state, reversible and irreversible processes, entropy, thermodynamic potentials. Heat engines and refrigerators. Phase transitions. Ideal mixtures.

Kinetic theory of gases:

Maxwell distribution of speed, mean free path, heat conduction, diffusion. Transport processes.

Statistical mechanics:

Microstates and statistical description. The equipartition theorem. Planck's radiation law. The Boltzmann distribution.

The syllabus will be illuminated with examples from biology, industry, climate and the environment.

Learning outcome

The course aims through a theoretical and experimental approach to give a fundamental understanding of how systems in thermal equilibrium can be described by thermodynamics, kinetical gas theory and basic statistical mechanics.

Knowledge.

The candidate should know:

  • a wide spectrum of methods from thermal and statistical physics with applications across many disciplines and scientific fields
  • fundamental thermal problems with their known solutions
  • methods for approaching thermal problems without a know solution

Skills.

The candidate should be able to:

  • Quantitatively describe systems in thermal equilibrium by methods from thermodynamics and statistical physics
  • Design simple heat engines and refrigerators
  • Perform and analyze basic experiments and measurements within thermal physics

General competence.

The candidate should be able to:

  • account for the role of thermal physics in a societal context, including climate and environmental challenges
  • account for the connection between thermal physics and other fundamental branches of physics
  • analyze problems in thermal physics using mathematical and numerical methods, including ICT.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and compulsory laboratory exercises and problem solving. Expected workload in the course is 225 hours.

Compulsory assignments

  • Laboratory exercises
  • Calculation exercises

Further on evaluation

Written exam.

The re-sit examination (in August) may be changed from written to oral.

Course materials

P. C. Hemmer, Termisk fysikk, Tapir Akademisk Forlag, 2. utgave 2002. D. V. Schroeder, An Introduction to Thermal Physics, Oxford University Press, 2021.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From To
SIF4016 7.5
FY1005 7.5 AUTUMN 2007
More on the course

No

Facts

Version: 1
Credits:  7.5 SP
Study level: Intermediate course, level II

Coursework

Term no.: 1
Teaching semester:  AUTUMN 2024

Language of instruction: Norwegian

Location: Trondheim

Subject area(s)
  • Physics
  • Technological subjects
Contact information
Course coordinator: Lecturer(s):

Department with academic responsibility
Department of Physics

Timetable

List view
Calendar view

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam

Term Status code Evaluation Weighting Examination aids Date Time Examination system Room *
Autumn ORD School exam 100/100 C 2024-12-18 09:00 INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
SL410 blå sone Sluppenvegen 14 51
SL410 orange sone Sluppenvegen 14 15
SL111 orange sone Sluppenvegen 14 60
SL520 Sluppenvegen 14 51
SL111 lyseblå sone Sluppenvegen 14 42
SL510 Sluppenvegen 14 11
Summer UTS School exam 100/100 C INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
  • * The location (room) for a written examination is published 3 days before examination date. If more than one room is listed, you will find your room at Studentweb.
Examination

For more information regarding registration for examination and examination procedures, see "Innsida - Exams"

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