Novosibirsk State University is launching its new English language online Coursera course,“Basics of Thermodynamics”. It was developed in partnership with Omsk State Technical University. The Course focuses on the fundamentals of thermodynamics and provides essential knowledge for engineering, technical, and natural science students. It provides a basic understanding of thermal processing arrangements in nature and how power stations work. Participants also learn how to solve problems associated with thermal phenomena. You can register for the Course on Coursera and start learning now.
Artur Pogosov, Head of the General Physics Section at the NSU Physics Department and primary Course lecturer, talked about the content and potential audience,
I created the Course with two other talented lecturers in the General Physics Section, Rasul Abdullaev and Leonid Braginsky. Our common goal was to demonstrate that thermodynamics is perhaps the clearest example of a discipline that provides a unified approach that can be used to explain phenomena ranging from the mysterious depths of the ocean to the sparkling stars in the universe.
While it is targeted primarily at students interested in careers as physicists, engineers, and power engineers, it will be useful to any specialists whose work involves physical phenomena. In order to appeal to a wide range of people, we explain the basic concepts as clearly and comprehensively as possible while maintaining a high level of physics. Participants will learn about unusual phenomena, such as stretched liquid, and watch interesting experiments. In a relatively short time, students receive a foundation that will allow them to easily expand on this knowledge in relation to their future specialization. This type of overview course makes it possible to look at a subject differently, to see the interconnection of the parts as you cover it as a whole. As a result, it may also be of interest to those who have already studied thermodynamics.
“Basics of Thermodynamics” includes the thermodynamic concepts ideal and real gas and how they are related to heat and operations such as in how the engine under the hood of your car works, and how to design an economical heating system for your home. Students will learn about phase transformations of substances and what happens when gases are heated and cooled. There are several entertaining experiments and interesting thermodynamic examples from life. Participants will find out how their kitchen refrigerator works and why it needs warmth to freeze it. At the end of the Course, Associate Professor Braginsky, explains what an absolute blackbody is, what heat transfer is and how, for example, to calculate the temperature of the Sun, Earth, and other celestial objects.
The Course consists of 32 lectures organized into five modules. After each module, students are invited to take a test, and at the end of the Course, there is a final exam.
“The Basics of Thermodynamics” is the sixth English-language Coursera course created by Novosibirsk State University. Currently, anyone can register on the Coursera platform and sign up for these other NSU courses: “Dermatology. Trip to Skin ”,“ From Disease to Genes and Back ”,“ MOOC: How to Make a MOOC? "," Cryptography: Boolean Functions and Related Problems"," Seismic Tomography: Look Inside the Earth".
