Boltzmann
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Revisiting the kinetic theory of gases
My vision is to develop a ground-up understanding of thermodynamics based on connecting the micro-world of moving and interacting atoms to the macro-world of thermodynamic phenomena and the classical equations used to describe them. In the below post, which I previously shared, I delve into the originating micro-to-macro work of Clausius, Maxwell, and Boltzmann when… Continue reading
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From steam to entropy: Creating a thermodynamics tour through Europe (and Yale)
I need your input on this. A friend of mine asked, “Bob, how about creating a European tour featuring the different locations where the founders of thermodynamics worked, including opportunities to taste the local beers?” I responded, “Great idea!” So what would that tour look like? Here’s a very rough outline based on chronological sequencing:… Continue reading
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Entropy – the known and the unknown
“I never understood entropy” – anonymous engineer Part IV of my book delves into the discovery and science of entropy. In this post, I explore what we know and question about entropy’s science, acknowledging my own unresolved inquiries. I’m open to learning, so if you have insights, references, or know someone who does, please share.… Continue reading
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The Road to Entropy – Boltzmann and his probabilistic entropy
Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906) brought his mastery of mathematics to the kinetic theory of gases and provided us with our first mechanical understanding of entropy. To Boltzmann, his work proved that entropy ALWAYS increases or remains constant. But to others, most notably Josef Loschmidt (1821-1895), his work contained a paradox that needed to be addressed. Loschmidt… Continue reading
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The Road to Entropy – The kinetic theory of gases & heat capacity
I believe that an improved approach to teaching thermodynamics can be created by starting with the atomic theory of matter and then explaining the connections between this theory and macroscopic thermodynamic phenomena. This micro-to-macro approach arguably began in the late 19th century when a small group of scientists, namely Rudolf Clausius, James Clerk Maxwell, and… Continue reading
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The Road to Entropy – The Newcomen and Watt “Steam” Engines (videos)
The road to entropy began with the 18th century development of the “steam” engine by Thomas Newcomen and James Watt. But steam was not the driving force in these engines. So what was? And what was the purpose of the steam? Check out this video for the answers: Note the shout-out in the video to… Continue reading
Block by Block – The Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Thermodynamics. “Hanlon has written a masterpiece.” – Mike Pauken, Senior Engineer, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and author of Thermodynamics for Dummies
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About Me
Hi! I’m Bob Hanlon. After earning my Sc.D. in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and enjoying a long career in both industry and academia, I’ve returned to school, my own self-guided school, seeking to better understand the world of thermodynamics. Please join me on my journey.
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