Ph.D. Qualifying Examination
Thermodynamics
2025
Logistics Notes:
Time allowed: 2 hours.
Exam is open-book (one book) and closed-notes; one sheet (8.50 in.×11.00 in.) of notes is allowed.
Calculators are allowed.
Laptops, cell phones, and similar electronic devices are not allowed.
There are a total of 4 problems.
Exam is closed book and closed-notes (one sheet of formulas is allowed)
Problems count 25 points each (total=100 points).
Show your work on these exam sheets. Add additional sheets, if needed.
Closed book and closed notes; one sheet (8.50 11.00 in, 2-sided) of formulas is allowed
Laptops, cell phones, and similar electronic devices with Internet access are not allowed
Part 1 of exam (20%) is closed-book and closed-notes, no calculator (turn it in before beginning work on part 2)
Part 2 of exam (80%) is open-notes (no photocopies), calculator allowed, with 1 textbook allowed
State your assumptions, methods, and procedures. Show your work on these exam sheets (Add additional sheets, if needed.)
Exam is closed book and closed-notes (one sheet of formulas is allowed)
Problems count 25 points each (total=100 points).
You MUST show your work to get partial credit.
Laptops, cell phones, and similar electronic devices are not allowed.
Topics covered: conduction, convection, radiation, including basic numerical solution methods (finite difference)
Closed book. A handwritten or typed formula sheet (US letter, 2-sided) is allowed. Tables of material properties, convection correlations, coefficients, series solutions, etc. will be provided, if necessary. Calculator allowed.
Recommended textbook: Incropera, DeWitt: Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 5th ed., Wiley. ISBN: 978-0-471-38650-6
Part 1: multiple choice questions, addressing the understanding of heat transfer mechanisms and their interplay.
Part 2: three applied problems, covering the mechanisms of conduction, convection, and radiation. Each question will focus on a particular heat transfer mechanism but may overlap with others (e.g. thermal radiation from an object which is also subjected to convection).
2. Closed book, closed notes (one sheet of formulas is allowed).
3. Total of 3-4 problems (all of the same value); calculator is allowed.
4. Laptops, cell phones, and similar electronic devices are not allowed
5. Problems are typical of those found in a first course in Dynamics