This book is intended as a text for undergraduates in the atmospheric sciences. The students are expected to have some calculus, general chemistry and classical physics background although we provide a number of refreshers for those who might have less experience or need reminders. Our students have also had a survey of the atmospheric sciences in a qualitative course at freshman level. The primary aim of the book is to prepare the student for the synoptic and dynamics courses that follow. We intend that the student gain some understanding of thermodynamics as it applies to the elementary systems of interest in the atmospheric sciences. A major goal is for the students to gain some facility in making straightforward calculations. We have taught the material in a semester course, but in a shorter course some material can be omitted without regrets later in the book. The book ends with two chapters that are independent of one another: Chapter 8 on thermochemistry and Chapter 9 on the thermodynamic equation.

This book is the result of teaching an introductory atmospheric thermodynamics course to sophomores and juniors at Texas A&M University. Several colleagues have taught the course using earlier versions of the notes and we gratefully acknowledge Professors R. L. Panetta, Ping Yang, and Don Collins as well as the students for their many helpful comments. In addition, we have received useful comments on the chemistry chapter from Professors Sarah Brooks, Gunnar Schade, and Renyi Zhang. We also thank Professor Kenneth Bowman for many fruitful discussions. We are grateful for financial support provided by the Harold J. Haynes Endowed Chair in Geosciences.