Textbook Review: Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics 6th Edition

 

This is a good engineering textbook in terms of explaining the theory. In that aspect, it is clear and concise and provides many good examples in the chapter text to guide you in doing the homework problems. All of the problems sets are long and the problems get more challenging as you get into the later problems, and generally, each problem sets up the next problem meaning the technique that you have to use to solve one problem gives you a guide for how to approach the next one, but the next one will have some twist or wrinkle that makes it a bit harder. And, some of the problems are actually two-part problems in which the solution to the first problem is then used to solve the next problem. The one drawback is that the book (at least the sixth edition) does not provide any answers to problems, even the odd-numbered problems, which makes checking your work very difficult. One of the big plusses that the book provides that I wish more math and engineering textbooks did is a summary at the end of the sections, just before the problem sets, that list out the equations from that section and tells you the kinds of problems each of the equations is used for. So, while the book is not perfect, it is definitely one of the better textbooks that I had to use while getting my electrical engineering degree.