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"Thermodynamics is a funny subject. The first time you go through it, you don't understand it at all. The second time you go through it, you think you understand it, except for one or two points. The third time you go through it, you know you don't understand it, but by that time you are so used to the subject, it doesn't bother you anymore." - Arnold Sommerfeld Boy, I really didn't know what I was getting into with this course. Nothing I'd taken before in high-school or college really applied. It was brand new to me. It's an elegant mix of chemistry and physics... However, this course is core to everything about mechanical engineering. It ties in the grand ideas of Boltzmann, Kelvin, Planck, and Helmholtz with real-world applications such as power-plants, turbines, and internal combustion engines. Dr. Henning Struchtrup taught this course when I took it. He is the only prof I will mention by name on this site, as I think he is the best instructor that UVic Engineering has on its payroll. He is clear (in spite of his German accent), gives excellent notes (write down everything he does!), and is enthusiastic about the material. MECH 390 follows directly on the heels of this course, so if you do lousy in '240', you'll do even worse in '390'. Also, MECH 392 uses many of the same concepts, and MECH 443 (if you choose this as an elective) takes these concepts even further. MECH 240 is definitely a course you want to take seriously. My only advice for this course it to attend every damned class and make sure you understand the assignments. I have the assignments on file, but I feel wary in distributing them, as it won't really do you any good to simply transcribe the solutions. The midterm, though, was tricky, and it would do you well to look at some previous ones ahead of time. I have the midterm available if you e-mail me. |
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