ChE 6615 - Advanced Thermodynamics - CGEP

Syllabus for CHE 6615 Advanced Thermodynamics
Fall 2014
Tuesday & Thursday 5:00 - 6:15 p.m.
Instructor: Prof. Joshua J. Choi
Office: ChE building 218
e-mail: [email protected]
phone: 434-243-1822
Office Hours: Wednesday 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. and by appointment
Teaching Assistant: Eric Dybeck
e-mail: [email protected]
office hours: by appointment
(with special focus on Distance Learning students. Online TA office hours are available)
Course Overview & Objectives
What precisely is entropy and where does it originate from? Why do different materials
have different heat capacities? In 'classical' thermodynamics, we are used to having them as
givens (as experimental data for example) and studying their relationships among other
quantities such as heat, energy, enthalpy changes and etc. While the classical thermodynamics
provides extremely rich and useful relationships among these quantities, it says nothing about
why different materials have different thermodynamic quantities and behaviors. This is mainly
because the classical thermodynamics was developed in an empirical fashion before the view of
atoms and molecules as the building blocks of matter was accepted.
In this course, we will learn how the atomic and molecular details of a chemical system
determine its thermodynamic quantities and response to external changes. We will find that all
macroscopic thermodynamic quantities can be calculated based on (1) the molecular structure of
the system and (2) some very powerful and general statistical arguments - this subject is
therefore called 'statistical mechanics'. The techniques and ways of thinking learned in statistical
mechanics are important in solving problems in areas as diverse as reaction kinetics, catalysis,
biochemical engineering, polymer engineering, drug design, and separations. One of the major
goals of this class is to help the student gain a sufficiently deep understanding of the
fundamentals statistical mechanics and thermodynamics to enable their research efforts. It will
also help the student gain a working knowledge of thermophysical property calculations, phase
equilibria, and chemical equilibria.
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
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Derive all the fundamental equations of thermodynamics from assumptions about basic
physics and mathematics.
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Define what entropy is in both thermodynamic and statistical contexts.
Use thermodynamic relationships to predict the state of a system given its initial
constraints.
Derive equations of state, heat capacities, and chemical potentials from molecular
assumptions.
Solve simple quantum mechanical problems.
Use the solutions of quantum mechanical problems in a statistical mechanics framework.
Derive the thermodynamic properties of a simple model from its basic description.
Show how a number of complicated physical properties result from simple molecular
details.
Required Textbook
Title
Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics
Author
F. Reif
Publisher Waveland Press, 2009
ISBN
1478610050, 9781478610052
Topics
A detailed course schedule and day-by-day required readings are posted on the wiki on the
course Collab website.
Assessment
Points will be given for homework, two mid-term exams, two mid-term quizzes, and a final
exam. The weighting for each of these is given below:
Homework 15%
Quizzes (2) 10% (5% each)
Midterm Exams (2) 40% (20% each)
Final Exam 35%
There is not a set curve in the class; I’m happy to give all A’s if everyone demonstrates that they
have mastery of the material.
Homework
There will be regular homework assignments in this class, usually assigned on Thursdays and
due on next Tuesdays. You will be expected to turn in the homework electronically on Collab
website or physically to me by the beginning of class (5 pm). Hints as to the solution will be
posted on the web after homework is turned in and the problems may be discussed in class. For
this reason, no late homework will be accepted without prior arrangement. Not all homework
problems can be solved solely by information presented in lecture, and will require additional
reading.
Homework will be graded on 0–3 scale:
0 point: no real effort made or no homework turned in.
1 point: all problems attempted, some progress made, lack of basic understanding
2 points: perhaps some conceptual problems, but most of the problems solved mostly correctly.
3 points: all problems basically correct, no major conceptual issues, but there may be some
minor issues or math errors.
Exams
There will be two short quizzes, two midterms and a final. The quizzes will consist of relatively
simple problems; they will be closed book, closed notes. They will be approximately 30 min, and
will be scheduled at times convenient for the class during the weeks indicated. For Distance
Learning students, I will email you the quizzes and you will email me back a scanned copy of the
answers within 40 minutes. Please arrange a printer and a scanner you can use on time for the
quizzes. The quizzes are closed book and closed notes and I will depend on your honor and
academic integrity.
In addition, there will be 1.5 hour midterms and a final exam in the course, all of which will be
in-class, open book and open notes. The Distance Learning students will receive the exam via
email and will email back a scanned copy of answers within 1 hour and 40 minutes. The
particular day and timing will be chosen to work best for the class.
Academic Integrity
You may discuss homework assignments with anyone in the class. You can discuss what a
question means and use materials in the readings or internet resources listed here as
supplementary material or math tools to help check algebra. However, the final work you turn in
must be your own. Simple rule of thumb: don’t look at each other’s homework. Copying
someone else’s work, in any way, is unacceptable. Explaining concepts to each other is fine. You
may not use homeworks or exams from previous years. Some of the problems solved in the class
are “classic” problems whose solutions can be found on the web; you should work these out on
your own! Exams must be strictly each student’s individual effort. You must not discuss the
exams with anyone but the instructor while they are out. You can only use the materials provided
for the class and recommended readings on the exams.
E-mail Policy
If you have a question on course material, please plan on coming to office hours or set up
another time to stop by instead of sending an e-mail. Email is very inefficient to discuss
complicated technical topics. If it is a short question, please feel free to drop by anytime;
otherwise, it is best to come by office hours, or set up an appointment if office hours isn’t
convenient. If you have questions on any administrative topic (typos in materials, scheduling
questions, etc.), email works very well. I will make every effort to return emails within 24 hours.
If you need an answer sooner, you should call or come by my office.
Disability Support Services
It is the policy of the University of Virginia to accommodate students with disabilities in
accordance with federal and state laws. Any student with a disability who needs accommodation,
for example in arrangements for seating, extended time for examinations, or note-taking, should
present the appropriate paperwork (i.e., an accommodation memo) from the Learning Needs and
Evaluation Center (LNEC) and follow-up with the instructor about logistics and implementation
of accommodations. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing any part of
the course materials or activities for this class, please notify the instructor immediately.
Accommodations for test-taking should be arranged in the first two weeks of the semester. A
student’s academic dean is also available to assist with accommodations, particularly for
temporary or emergency situations. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the
LNEC: telephone 434-243-5181, TTY 434-243-5189, or via the Web at
http://www.virginia.edu/studenthealth/lnec.html.
Course Reserve List
It is vital to look at thermodynamic concepts from multiple perspectives. The books listed below
are on reserve in the Brown Science and Engineering Library. Most can be checked out for two
days at a time. Note especially that some of them can be read online while connected to the
U.Va. network.
• Your undergraduate textbook. You’ll probably find it makes more sense this time as we cover
many of the same topics in a different light.
• Atkins, P. W. Friedman, R. S. Molecular Quantum Mechanics, QD462 A84 2005, 4th edition
• Chandler, D. Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics, QC174.8 C47 1987
• Hill, T. L. An Introduction to Statistical Thermodynamics, (available online at
http://www.knovel.com)
• Lucas, K. Molecular Models for Fluids, TA357.L78 2007, (available online at
http://www.knovel.com)
• McQuarrie, D. A. Statistical Mechanics, QC174.8 M3
• O’Connell, J. P. and Haile, J. M. Thermodynamics: Fundamentals for Applications, QC311.O3
2005
• Poling, B. E. et al. The Properties of Gases and Liquids, TP242 .P62 2001
• Prausnitz, J. M., Lichtenthaler R. N., Gomes de Azevedo, E. Molecular Thermodynamics of
Fluid-Phase Equilibria, Available online while connected to the campus network at:
http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/9780132441902
• Tester, J. W. and Modell, M. Thermodynamics and Its Applications, 3rd edition, QD504 T37
1997
• Walas, S. M. Phase Equilibria in Chemical Engineering, TP156.E65 W34 1985
Comment
It’s not at all uncommon to struggle with this material. This is a challenging course, and you will
only understand the material by struggling with it through reading, thinking, and problems. Don’t
expect to know the answer right away, and avoid feeling competitive with other students as you
will find that everyone has different backgrounds that contribute differently to the success of
your future projects in research & industry (which is ultimately what matters). Your job is to
learn and understand, not to beat the curve (and there is no curve in this course). As long as your
average is B+ or above, noone really cares or asks what grades you get in graduate courses.
When you apply for jobs after graduate school, noone will ask what grades you got! Instead, they
will care about how efficiently, critically and correctly you think about problems and, also
importantly, your output in research and industry settings. The materials you learn in this course
will help advance your future projects in a research group or company. The only way to get there
is to learn how to absorb and master the material.