Based on a course given to beginning physics, chemistry, and engineering students at the Winterthur Polytechnic Institute, this text approaches the fundamentals of thermodynamics from the view of continuum mechanics. By describing physical processes in terms of the flow and balance of physical quantities, this provides a unified approach to hydraulics, electricity, mechanics and thermodynamics. In this way, it becomes clear that the entropy is the fundamental property that is transported in thermal process (what in lay terms would be called "heat"), and that the temperature is the corresponding potential. The resulting theory of the creation, flow, and balance of entropy provides the foundation of a dynamical theory of heat. Previous knowledge of thermodynamics is not required, but the reader should be familiar with basic electricity, mechanics, and chemistry and should have some knowledge of elementary calculus.

Review:

From the reviews of the second edition:

“A vigorous approach to the exposition of the fundamentals of thermal-fluid sciences by employing a unified approach to thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and electricity. Fuchs (Zurich Univ. of Applied Sciences, Switzerland) argues, with extensive topical depth ... can be used to describe the dynamics of thermal energy (heat) transport. This flow and balance of entropy model is featured throughout the text with a system dynamics approach. ... an invaluable self-study reference for advanced readers in the field. Summing Up: Recommended. Researchers/faculty and professionals in thermal-fluid sciences.” (B. Tao, Choice, Vol. 48 (11), August, 2011)

“This is ... a book devoted to a wide description of theories concerning thermodynamics. ... the author takes care to explain the theories with lots of figures, illustrations and examples. ... Each chapter is completed with many exercises, the main parts of the associated solutions being gathered at the end of the book. ... it will be surely accessible to different kinds of students and researchers. Both will find here some deep and modern models which can be applied in very different situations.” (Alian Brillard, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1214, 2011)

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