Why does heat flow from hot to cold? Why does order always seem to fade into disorder? And why can’t we unmix a cup of coffee once it has been stirred? These everyday mysteries all point to a deeper set of rules governing nature. Thermodynamics provides the answers, revealing the fundamental principles that control energy, entropy, and the direction of physical processes.

Quotes on Thermodynamics :

"The first time I studied it, I did not understand it. The second time, I thought I understood it, except for a few details. The third time, I knew I did not understand it at all."

"The result would inevitably be a state of universal rest and death" by Lord Kelvin

"The second law of thermodynamics is the most important law of all science"  by Max Planck

References for the course:

a)  Thermodynamics, Enrico Fermi
b)  Concepts in Thermal Physics,  Katherine Blundell and Stephen Blundell
c)  Daniel Arovas  Lecture notes  "Physics 140A/B Lecture Notes on Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics"
d)  Theoretical Physics  5,  Thermodynamics, Wolfgang Nolting
e)  Hand written  personal notes.


General Remarks and  Definitions
Energy,  Work & Heat
Secon  Law  and  Entropy
Third Law
Kinetic  Theory of Gas
Thermodynamics  Potentials
Assiomatic Approch to Thermodynamics
Real Gases
Equilibrium Phases
Statistical Mechanics 

A nice and easy resource for a light introduction to Statistical Mechanics can be found in the MIT OpenCourseWare course, 'An Introduction to Statistical Physics', where you can find many additional exercises with solutions. Furthermore, I suggest, when you have time, watching the legendary lectures on Statistical Physics by L. Susskind. They are entertaining and mathematically light, but at the same time, extremely deep.

Math  Intermezzo

Slides First  Lecture

Exercise for the Course:

Exercise Sheet Week 1
Exercise Sheet Week 2
Exercise Sheet Week 3
Exercise Sheet  Week 4
Exercise Sheet Week 5
Exercise Sheet  Week 6
Exercise  Sheet  Week 7
Exercise on Stat. Mech.  

Se van san dir! You can find more exercises in the suggested books.

Exams  Information:
First Test, 12/05/26 at 18:00-19:00  (counts  50% of final grade)
Second  Test,  02/06/26 at  18:00-19:00 (counts  50% of final grade)

Results Tests 2026

Exam:  19/06/26  at 13:00 -15:00   (counts  100% of final grade)

Tips for the Exam:
There will definitely be one exercise consisting of theoretical questions, so please review the questions at the beginning of the exercise sheets and revisit the relevant theoretical chapters. There will also be a simple exercise on statistical physics, as well as some exercises on thermodynamic cycles, thermodynamic potentials, and the computation of entropy.

Good luck with your preparation!

Office Hours:

Giuseppe De Tomasi, Monday 16:00 (1-4-8, Phys.)
João Joaquim, Wednesday at 9AM (Gab 2.8.7)
José Mariano Wednesdays 15:00 (Gab 5.1.10)

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