A spreadsheet-based exercise for students is described in which they are challenged to explain and reproduce the disparate temperature dependencies of the heat capacities of gaseous F[subscript 2] and N[subscript 2]. For F[subscript 2], C[subscript p,m] increases from 300 K, reaches a maximum at 2200 K, and then decreases to 74% of the maximum…

We report on the study of student difficulties regarding a heat engine in the context of a Stirling cycle by the method of measurement. An in-class test about a Stirling engine with a regenerator was taken by three classes, and the students were asked to perform one of the most basic activities--calculate the efficiency of the heat engine. Our…

This paper reports on how a group of students think when trying to solve a set of thermodynamic revision exercises in the context of collaborative small group conversation at the undergraduate level. The revision exercises involved exploring the relationship between enthalpy and temperature, entropy and temperature, and entropy of a gas under…

This study has proposed a simple method to show the convective heat transfer. The object in this study is an air conditioner (AC) as a simple case of convection. In addition, AC is also easy to find in the class because most classrooms in Indonesia installed AC. Usually, a visualization needs special software (i.e. MatLab or others) and good…

A significant amount of energy in the form of heat is lost in industrial processes once it is used in specific processes. Among different technologies, high-temperature heat pumps (HTHP) are a valuable method of recovering low-temperature waste heat in the industry in a very efficient way that can be activated using clean electricity. As a…

An intensive course in heat transfer was created for the winter break between semesters to provide students with a "second chance" to learn the material and receive a grade of C- or better required to take the subsequent courses in the chemical engineering curriculum. It includes on-line and in-person instruction. Over the three years…

Pregraduate students often have low success expectations toward their thermodynamics courses, which are often considered too abstract and remarkably difficult to understand. For this reason, they may not even try to reach any level of comprehension while settling for reproducing mathematical calculations and memorizing definitions to pass the…

In our technology driven world today, it is extremely important to increase the science literacy of our non-science majors. At Stockton University, this goal is attempted to be accomplished through our General Studies courses. This paper describes a lab-based course in the General Studies curriculum, 'The Science of Ice Cream'. At Stockton…

Laboratory learning forms a significant and integral part of engineering education, wherein students develop technical, collaborative, enquiry, and observation skills that go beyond theoretical studies. Engineering is inherently a practice-based profession, and consequently, laboratory work has been inseparable for engineering curricula. However,…

Calculus, as commonly taught, describes certain operations on explicit functions, but science relies on experimental data, which is inherently discrete. In the face of this disparity, how can we help students transition from lower-division mathematics courses to upper-division coursework in other STEM disciplines? We discuss here our efforts to…

Stars form from large clouds of gas and dust that contract under their own gravity. The birth of a star occurs when a fusion reaction of hydrogen into helium is ignited in its core. The key variable that determines the formation of a star is mass. If the mass of the contracting cloud is below a certain minimum value, instead of a star, a substelar…

Connecting the thermodynamic definition of entropy, dS = dQ/T (Clausius's equation), with the statistical definition, S = k[subscript B] ln [omega] (Boltzmann's equation), has been a persistent challenge in chemical education at the undergraduate level. Not meeting this challenge results in students taking away the meaning of entropy in a vague…

Heat and enthalpy are challenging topics for general chemistry students because they are conceptually complex and require avariety of quantitative problem-solving approaches. Expert chemists draw on conditional knowledge, deciding when and under what conditions a certain problem-solving approach should be used. Decision-based learning (DBL)…

Active learning is widely recognized as superior to traditional passive, lecture-based techniques for fostering learning in STEM courses. Interactive, hands-on learning where students interact with their peers and physical systems is an effective type of active learning. As the need for scientists and engineers continues to grow, understanding and…

We discuss the development and validation of a conceptual multiple-choice survey instrument called the survey of thermodynamic processes and first and second laws (STPFaSL) suitable for introductory physics courses. The survey instrument uses common student difficulties with these concepts as resources in that the incorrect answers to the…