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Re: [Phys-l] The Abysmal Foundations of Thermodynamics



John Denker (2010) in his Phys-L post "Re: The Abysmal Foundations of Thermodynamics" wrote:

"To me, thermodynamics is synonymous with statistical mechanics. It is predicated on being able to count the microstates. I am aware that classical thermodynamics flourished for many decades before QM was invented ... but personally I don't understand classical thermodynamics, certainly not the foundations thereof."

Surely, John must be unaware of Brian Pippard's (1957) classic text "The Elements of Classical Thermodynamics."

Who's Brian Pippard? see <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.B._Pippard>

Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
Honorary Member, Curmudgeon Lodge of Deventer, The Netherlands
President, PEdants for Definitive Academic References which Recognize the
Invention of the Internet (PEDARRII)
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi>
<http://HakesEdStuff.blogspot.com>

REFERENCES [All URL's shortened by <http://bit.ly/> and accessed on 08 December 2010.]

Denker, J. 2010. "Re: The Abysmal Foundations of Thermodynamics," Phys-L post of 07 Dec 2010 11:48:32 -070; online on the OPEN! Phys-L archives at <http://bit.ly/hh2LoM>.

Pippard, A.B. 1957."Elements of Classical Thermodynamics: For Advanced Students of Physics." Cambridge University Press, publisher's information at <http://bit.ly/eYLKzM>. Amazon.com information at <http://amzn.to/eOLnRD>.