Does the mere thought of thermodynamics make you sweat? It doesn't have to! This hands-on guide helps you score your highest in a thermodynamics course by offering easily understood, plain-English explanations of how energy is used in things like automobiles, airplanes, air conditioners, and electric power plants.

• Thermodynamics 101 — take a look at some examples of both natural and man-made thermodynamic systems and get a handle on how energy can be used to perform work

• Turn up the heat — discover how to use the first and second laws of thermodynamics to determine (and improve upon) the efficiency of machines

• Oh, behave — get the 411 on how gases behave and relate to one another in different situations, from ideal-gas laws to real gases

• Burn with desire — find out everything you need to know about conserving mass and energy in combustion processes

Open the book and find:

• The laws of thermodynamics

• Important properties and their relationships

• The lowdown on solids, liquids, and gases

• How work and heat go handin hand

• The cycles that power thermodynamic processes

• Chemical mixtures and reactions

• Ten pioneers in thermodynamics

• Real-world applications of thermodynamic laws and concepts

Learn to:

• Master the concepts and principles of thermodynamics

• Develop the problem-solving skills used by professional engineers

• Ace your thermodynamics course