Advanced Thermodynamics: Fundamental Concepts and First Law of Thermodynamics - Lecture 1

Explore fundamental thermodynamic concepts in this opening lecture from MIT's Advanced Thermodynamics course, where Professor Gian Paolo Beretta delves into essential definitions and principles. Begin with a historical perspective marking thermodynamics' 200th anniversary, then progress through comprehensive explanations of systems, properties, states, and weight processes. Master the First Law of Thermodynamics and its implications for energy conservation, balance, and exchangeability. Examine different types of states including steady, unsteady, equilibrium, and non-equilibrium conditions, concluding with an analysis of stable, unstable, and metastable equilibrium states. The lecture, recommended to be viewed at 1.5x speed for optimal learning, provides detailed timestamps for easy navigation through topics and includes access to complementary course materials, slides, and a complete analytical index.