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On suggested simplifications of CARATHÉODORY'S thermodynamics
Author(s) -
Landsberg P. T.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.19610010203
Subject(s) - algebraic number , adiabatic process , second law of thermodynamics , mathematics , entropy (arrow of time) , property (philosophy) , calculus (dental) , theoretical physics , statistical physics , thermodynamics , mathematical economics , physics , mathematical analysis , epistemology , medicine , philosophy , dentistry
The geometrical approach to thermodynamics which was initiated by CARATHÉODORY has recently been more widely accepted. In fact, in the last few years a number of attempts have been made aimed at simplifying it with a view to developing an elementary approach. An attempt has also been made to replace the geometrical by an algebraic procedure. In this paper these suggestions are examined for geometrical by an algebraic procedure. In this paper these suggestions are examined for implicit assumptions, and attention is drawn to problems which they leave unsolved. It is pointed out that CARATHÉODORY'S original derivation of the increasing property of the entropy involves also some implicit continuity assumptions concerning non‐static adiabatic changes. An elementary approach is here understood to have the following properties: 1 It appeals only to mathematical theorems familiar to most physicists (i. e. it does not involve CARATHÉODORY'S theorem or similar technicalities), and 2 it leads to a full specification of the content of the second law of thermodynamics as normally understood.