robert mayer
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James Watt’s “eureka!” moment
“In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur (1854) Experiencing a “eureka!” moment of insight into nature is absolutely thrilling. I’ve been very fortunate to have had several such moments and enjoy others’ stories too, including those of Henrietta Leavitt, Robert Mayer, Rudolf Clausius, and Thomas Newcomen, which I… Continue reading
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James Joule – how did he do it?
Poking at small effects you can’t explain can be a way of unraveling a much bigger piece of physics – Professor Carl Carlson, theoretical physicist [1] Forging a law around the concept of energy and its conservation demanded many observations, many experiences, and many measurements. The long history involved traveled through the works of the… Continue reading
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Robert Mayer wondered, why is blood redder in warm climates?
In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind – Louis Pasteur [1] The piston played a critical role in the history of thermodynamics as this device, embedded within the steam engine, transformed heat (Q) generated by a steam boiler into the work (W) required to lift buckets of water out of deep… 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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