2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Basic science and technology courses
Basic Chemical Thermodynamics L
- Academic unit or major
- Basic science and technology courses
- Instructor(s)
- Yoichi Okimoto
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- L
- Course Code
- LAS.C107
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 24, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course describes fundamental thermodynamics based on the first and the second laws of thermodynamics and demonstrates how the newly introduced concepts such as entropy, Gibbs energy, and chemical potential can explain many thermal phenomena. Among various thermodynamic topics in many fields, this course focuses on familiar chemical phenomena (e.g., Hess's law, Clapeyron's law, chemical equilibrium constants, Le Chatelier's principle, dilute solution, etc.).
As one of the science and engineering basic courses required for all Tokyo Tech students, this course provides essential contents of chemical thermodynamics in chemistry field. Students will acquire general knowledge, methods and ways of thinking about chemistry.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
１) Understand the standard enthalpy of formation and its temperature dependence (Hess's law and Kirchhoff's law) based on the first law of thermodynamics.
２）Understand that the efficiency of any heat engine can be determined only by the temperatures of the heat bath (Carnot's law) based on the second law of thermodynamics.
３）Explain various chemical thermal phenomena (especially vapor pressure, chemical equilibrium constants, dilute solution etc.) by understanding Gibbs energy and chemical potential.
Keywords
Thermodynamics, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs energy
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Basically, each class covers one chapter in the textbook according to the course schedule. Each class consists of outline of basic topics, explanation of exercise problems, and introduction of related topics. Students are required to learn outside of the classroom for preparation and review purposes under the instructor's guidance.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Preparation for Thermodynamics equation of state, ideal gas, real gas | Read chapter 1 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
| Class 2 | First law of thermodynamics Heat, power, Joule's law | Read chapter 2 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
| Class 3 | Enthalpy Heat of reaction, heat capacity | Read chapter 3 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
| Class 4 | Second law of thermodynamics Carnot's cycle, reversible and irreversible process | Read chapter 4 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
| Class 5 | Entropy Clausius's inequality, third law of thermodynamics | Read chapter 5 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
| Class 6 | Gibbs energy and chemical potential Thermodynamic relations | Read chapter 6 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
| Class 7 | Application of thermodynamics to chemical phenomena Clapeyron's equation, chemical reaction, equilibrium | Read chapter 7 in the textbook and understand basic knowledge. Solve related exercise problems. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Basic Chemistry for Science and Engineering Students - Chemical Thermodynamics; by Yoichi Okimoto, et al.; Kagaku-dojin
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None.
Material may be provided via Science Tokyo LMS.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' knowledge of basic topics of chemical thermodynamics covered in the course will be assessed by final exam. Details are announced in the lecture.
Related courses
- LAS.C110 ： Chemistry Laboratory I
- LAS.C112 ： Chemistry Laboratory II
Prerequisites
None.