Students · BSc · 2025/26 · spring

Thermodynamics

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? Thermodynamics answers these questions with the principles that govern energy, entropy and the direction of physical processes.

Lecturers: Giuseppe De Tomasi, João Joaquim, José Mariano

Lecture notes

Exercises

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
Exercises on statistical mechanicsMore exercises in the suggested books.

Assessment

First test12 May 2026, 18:00–19:00 · 50% of the final grade
Second test2 Jun 2026, 18:00–19:00 · 50% of the final grade
Exam19 Jun 2026, 13:00–15:00 · 100% of the final grade
Results of the special season (21 Jul 2026)
Test of 2 June 2026Previous tests and exams

Office hours

Giuseppe De TomasiMonday 16:00 · room 1-4-8, Physics building
João JoaquimWednesday 09:00 · room 2.8.7
José MarianoWednesday 15:00 · room 5.1.10

References

E. Fermi, Thermodynamics
K. Blundell and S. Blundell, Concepts in Thermal Physics
D. Arovas, Physics 140A/B Lecture Notes on Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
W. Nolting, Theoretical Physics 5: Thermodynamics
Handwritten lecture notes (above)

Further resources

MIT OpenCourseWare: An Introduction to Statistical PhysicsA light introduction with many solved exercises.
L. Susskind: lectures on statistical physicsEntertaining and mathematically light, but deep.

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."Lord Kelvin
"The second law of thermodynamics is the most important law of all science."Max Planck