From Gas Physics to Statistical Mechanics
Perspectives on the History of Physics
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Beschreibung
This book traces a pivotal path in the history of physics, from gas physics to the birth of statistical mechanics. It begins with foundational studies by Torricelli, Pascal, and Boyle, then moves to atomic theory and the periodic table. A key focus is the 18th-century development of analytical mechanics, from Newton’s Principia (1687) to Lagrange’s Mécanique Analytique (1788). During this period, figures like Leibniz, the Bernoullis, Euler, d'Alembert, and Laplace helped refine the mathematical language of physics.
The book then explores the principle of energy conservation, following the debate on vis viva to Helmholtz’s unifying work. It also examines the establishment of the second law of thermodynamics, from early heat engine studies to the breakthroughs of Carnot and Clausius. The final section delves into the origins of statistical mechanics, beginning with Bernoulli’s kinetic theory of gases, progressing through Clausius and Maxwell, and culminating in Boltzmann’s transition to statistical mechanics, later refined by Gibbs.
A key feature of this volume is its use of primary sources, offering diverse perspectives on the works of these pioneers. It integrates extensive secondary literature, combining established studies with contemporary scholarship to provide a thorough historical account.
This book traces a pivotal path in the history of physics, from gas physics to the birth of statistical mechanics. It begins with foundational studies by Torricelli, Pascal, and Boyle, then moves to atomic theory and the periodic table. A key focus is the 18th-century development of analytical mechanics, from Newton’s Principia (1687) to Lagrange’s Mécanique Analytique (1788). During this period, figures like Leibniz, the Bernoullis, Euler, d'Alembert, and Laplace helped refine the mathematical language of physics.
The book then explores the principle of energy conservation, following the debate on vis viva to Helmholtz’s unifying work. It also examines the establishment of the second law of thermodynamics, from early heat engine studies to the breakthroughs of Carnot and Clausius. The final section delves into the origins of statistical mechanics, beginning with Bernoulli’s kinetic theory of gases, progressing through Clausius and Maxwell, and culminating in Boltzmann’s transition to statistical mechanics, later refined by Gibbs.
A key feature of this volume is its use of primary sources, offering diverse perspectives on the works of these pioneers. It integrates extensive secondary literature, combining established studies with contemporary scholarship to provide a thorough historical account.
Presents a chronological analysis of the history of physics, from gas theory to statistical mechanics Offers a concise yet profound and well-documented account of the origins and consolidation of analytical mechanics Traces the history of the second law of thermodynamics from thermal machines to the concept of entropy
Autor*in
Luiz Roberto Evangelista
Themen in »From Gas Physics to Statistical Mechanics«
Air Pressure Conservation of Energy Celestial Mechanics in the 18th Century second-law thermodynamics heat engines entropy Kinetic Theory Energy History Historical Foundations of Physics Physics History Birth of Statistical Mechanics Analytical Fluid in the 18th Century Atomic Theory Gas Physics