(Efficiency, Carnot Cycle, Real-world applications)
This is the foundation. If you only read one chapter of the PDF, make it this one. It covers the First Law, heat capacities, and the concept of work. Schroeder’s diagrams of piston-cylinder systems are exceptionally clear.
It offers a 50/50 split between classical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.
Talk with an industry-knowledgeable expert. Schroeder Introduction To Thermal Physics Pdf