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Abstract

The Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy (USMA) offers a course in thermodynamics that is well known among the Corps of Cadets, because of its uniqueness and applicability. Students from every department in the USMA enroll in the course and are taught by a faculty that is composed of both military and civilian professors. The classroom and laboratory experiences that have been designed over the past decade provide students with a broad introductory exposure to thermodynamics, while focussing on very relevant applications. This paper presents an overview of the thermodynamic experience created at the USMA and offers several examples of methods to enhance similar courses at other institutions.

Keywords

thermodynamics laboratory experiences undergraduate education

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A Unique Thermodynamics Course with Laboratories

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References