内容简介
Inthisclassicofmodernscience,theNobelLaureatepresentsacleartreatmentofsystems,theFirstandSecondLawsofThermodynamics,entropy,thermodynamicpotentials,andmuchmore.Calculusrequired.
作者简介
EnricoFermi:FatheroftheAtomicAgeEnricoFermi(1901–1954)receivedthe1938NobelPrizeinPhysics"forhisdemonstrationsofnewradioactiveelementsproducedbyneutronirradiation,andforhisrelateddiscoveryofnuclearreactionsbroughtaboutbyslowneutrons."JustayearbeforewinningtheNobelPrize,FermipublishedThermodynamics,basedonacourseoflecturesatColumbiaUniversity,anenduringworkwhichDoverfirstreprintedin1956andwhichhasbeeninprintcontinuouslysincethen,oneofthefoundationsofDover'sphysicsprogram.Bothatheoristandanexperimentalist,Fermipackedanimmenseamountofscienceintohisrelativelyshortlife,whichendedprematurelyasaconsequenceoftheradiationhereceivedworkingonthedevelopmentoftheatomicbomb.Hiswork,ofcourse,wasnotjustintherealmofnuclearphysics:FermiwillalwaysbethemostrememberedfortheeventsofDecember2,1942,whenheandotherscientistsattheUniversityofChicago'sStaggFieldproducedtheworld's"firstself-sustainingchainreaction...institutingthecontrolledreleaseofatomicenergy."IntheAuthor'sOwnWords:
"Therearetwopossibleoutcomes:Iftheresultconfirmsthehypothesis,thenyou'vemadeameasurement.Iftheresultiscontrarytothehypothesis,thenyou'vemadeadiscovery."—EnricoFermiCriticalAcclaimforEnricoFermi:
"Hewassimplyunabletoletthingsbefoggy.Sincetheyalwaysare,thiskepthimprettyactive."—J.RobertOppenheimer,,
