PHYS150
THERMODYNAMICS
This course is offered in a current or upcoming term. Check the official course schedule before registering.
Also listed under 3 other titles
- STATISTICAL & THERMAL PHYSICS
- Statistical and Thermal Physics
- STAT & THERMAL PHYSICS
- Department
- Physics
- Terms offered
- 28
- Data refreshed
- Sep 29, 2026
Description
Introduces the concepts of thermal physics with the goal of understanding the behavior of macroscopic systems on the basis of the Laws of Thermodynamics. Topics include temperature, heat and work, efficiencies of simple engines, entropy, the chemical potential, thermodynamic potentials, and phase transitions.
Syllabi
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Offering history & forecast 2016–2026
1996 2026
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Intersession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2030 Fall: 52% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 6 of 9 fall terms since 2018. | 2030 Spring: 19% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 8 spring terms since 2019. | 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. | 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020. |
| 2029 | 2029 Fall: 56% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 7 of 10 fall terms since 2017. | 2029 Spring: 20% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 8 spring terms since 2019. | 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. | 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2028 | 2028 Fall: 60% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 8 of 11 fall terms since 2016. | 2028 Spring: 20% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 8 spring terms since 2019. | 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. | 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2027 | 2027 Fall: 63% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 9 of 12 fall terms since 2015. | 2027 Spring: 14% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 8 spring terms since 2019. Department faculty is about 15% below its recent average. | 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. | 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2026 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2025 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2024 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2023 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2022 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2021 | 1 section | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2020 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2019 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2018 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2017 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2016 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
Forecast Under 15% 15–39% 40–69% 70–89% 90%+ Not enough history
Fall Spring Summer Intersession Darker means more sections Not offered No data for term
Future estimates combine recent offering frequency with detected multi-year cycles. Hover a cell for confidence and evidence; low-confidence estimates are marked with ~.
Meeting times
Most recent first- Mon, Thu, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM Sackler Science Center S122 2026
- Tue, Fri, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM Sackler Science Center S121 2025
- Tue, Thu, 10:25 AM–11:40 AM BP217 20132011
- Tue, Thu, 6:00 PM–7:15 PM BP217 2010
- Tue, Thu, 9:00 AM–10:15 AM BP217 200820062005200420032002 +5 more Also offered in Fall 2001, Fall 2000, Fall 1998, Fall 1997, Fall 1996
| Term | Professor | Type | Credits | Enrollment | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 13 of 20 enrolled | 21111 |
| Fall 2025 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 11 of 20 enrolled | 21111 |
| Fall 2024 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 20 enrolled | 21111 |
| Fall 2023 | Barbara Capogrosso Sansone | Lecture | 1 | 9 of 20 enrolled | 21111 |
| Fall 2022 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 5 of 20 enrolled | 21111 |
| Fall 2021 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 8 of 20 enrolled | 28279 |
| Spring 2021 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 13 of 20 enrolled | 37037 |
| Spring 2020 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 14 of 20 enrolled | 37037 |
| Spring 2019 | Alexander P. Petroff | Lecture | 1 | 11 of 20 enrolled | 37037 |
| Fall 2017 | Andreea M. Panaitescu | Lecture | 1 | 15 of 20 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2016 | Louis M. Colonna-Romano | Lecture | 1 | 8 of 20 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2015 | Arshad Kudrolli | Lecture | 1 | 15 of 20 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2014 | Arshad Kudrolli | Lecture | 1 | 11 of 20 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2013 | Louis M. Colonna-Romano | Lecture | 1 | 20 of 20 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2012 | Louis M. Colonna-Romano | Lecture | 1 | 14 of 15 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2011 | Louis M. Colonna-Romano | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 15 enrolled | 20208 |
| Fall 2010 | Louis M. Colonna-Romano | Lecture | 1 | 9 of 15 enrolled | 27228 |
| Fall 2008 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 14 of 15 enrolled | 25498 |
| Fall 2006 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 4 of 15 enrolled | 20461 |
| Fall 2005 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 15 enrolled | 20461 |
| Fall 2004 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 7 of 15 enrolled | 20461 |
| Fall 2003 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 3 of 15 enrolled | 20461 |
| Fall 2002 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 15 enrolled | 24636 |
| Fall 2001 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 99 enrolled | 24636 |
| Fall 2000 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 2 of 99 enrolled | 24636 |
| Fall 1998 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 6 of 99 enrolled | 21583 |
| Fall 1997 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 4 of 999 enrolled | 21583 |
| Fall 1996 | Harvey A. Gould | Lecture | 1 | 4 of 999 enrolled | 21583 |