8.21 | Fall 2009 | Undergraduate

The Physics of Energy

Lecture Notes

The lecture slides for Part I are available below. Additional slides will be added as soon as they become available.

Note: Some materials from these slides have been modified or removed due to copyright restrictions.

SES # TOPICS
Introduction
1 Introduction (PDF - 1.8MB)
Part I – Energy and its Uses
2 Units and scales of energy use (PDF - 1.1MB)
3 Mechanical energy and transport (PDF)
4 Heat energy: Conversion between heat and mechanical energy (PDF ‑ 2.9MB)
5 Electromagnetic energy: Storage, conversion, transmission and radiation (PDF - 7.7MB)
6 Quantum mechanics I: Intro to the quantum, energy quantization (PDF)
7 Energy in chemical systems and processes, flow of CO2 (PDF - 4.0MB)
8 Entropy and temperature (PDF)
9 Heat engines (PDF)
10 Conversion I: Phase change energy conversion, refrigeration and heat pumps (PDF - 3.5MB)
11 Internal combustion engines (PDF)
12 Conversion II: Steam and gas power cycles, the physics of power plants (PDF - 2.9MB)
Part II – Sources of Energy
13 Fundamental forces in the universe
14 Quantum mechanics II: Quantum mechanics relevant for nuclear physics
15 Nuclear I: Nuclear forces, energy scales and structure
16 Nuclear II: Nuclear binding energy systematics, reactions and decays
17 Nuclear III: Nuclear fusion
18 Nuclear IV: Nuclear fission and fission reactor physics
19 Nuclear V: Nuclear fission reactor design, safety, operation and fuel cycles
20 The flow of energy in the universe
21 Solar I: Solar radiation
22 Solar II: Absorption and thermal utilization
23 Solar III: Solar-thermal electricity
24 Solar IV: Photovoltaics
25 Solar V: Advanced PV, overview
26 Biological energy sources and fossil fuels
27 Wind I: Fluid dynamics and power in the wind, available resources
28 Wind II: More about fluids, viscosity, types of fluid flow, lift
29 Wind III: Wind turbine dynamics and design, wind farms
30 Geothermal power and ocean thermal energy conversion
31 Tidal/wave/hydro power
Part III – Systems and Synthesis
32 Nuclear radiation, fuel cycles, waste and proliferation
33 Climate change I
34 Climate change II
35 Climate change III
36 Energy storage
37 Energy conservation
38 Summary and conclusions