Principles of the Theory of Heat: Historically and Critically Elucidated by Ernst Mach (PDF)

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⭐Editor Brian McGuiness 1986 edition blends the work of several scholars who had labored over the years to translate Ernst Mach’s 1896 German work into English. Among those who had participated in this endeavor include T. J. McCormach (working from1900-1904) and P. E. B Jourdain (192-1913). After Joudain’s death in 1919, the baton was passed to A. E. Heath who completed his task in 1942 with some assistance from Rush Reeves. The extent of the contributions of these early translators is immediately apparent to the reader, who recognizes ornate phrases that could hardly be expected to originate from the work of an editor who assembled this volume in the 1980’s.Even more distant from the world of today’s reader than the language of the English translation, however, is the attitude towards physics expressed by author Ernst Mach. The volume, replete with diagrams taken from the comparatively everyday macroscopic world (consisting largely to the measurement of volumes, pressures, and temperatures), seems like the calm stately representation of the Victorian era. The calm demeanor presented by the author, however, also suggests to the modern reader the calm before the storm—in this case that of modern physics.The introduction penned by McGuiness does much to place Mach’s now outmoded ideas in a meaningful context for the modern reader. As pointed out by McGuiness, it was this textbook that greatly impressed young Albert Einstein (p.xvi), in that it explained how Joule’s research on the generation of heat by mechanical or electrical heating of a fluid was shown consistent with thermal heating. Mach also showed how processes where entropy was constant (harkening back to the concept of caloric) could coexist with those that cause entropy to increase. Taken together, these ideas led the the realization that the change in entropy in a closed system must be greater than or equal to zero.Mach gives much credit to Dalton for establishing the law of partial pressures but refuses to explicitly mention his championing of atomic theory—which Mach considers “childish and superfluous” (p.389). Mach merely observes that “Dalton introduces an entirely redundant notion (i.e. atoms) . . . [that will] never be made the subject of experimental verifications” (p.26). Mach does, however, allow the mention of Clausius’ reference to molecules (p.55).Some aspects of Mach’s book have the appearance of a modern physics textbook. Heat propagation or diffusion is treated with admirable mathematical sophistication and clarity and includes a detailed introduction to Fourier series, including that for the famous square wave (pp.102-111). Much attention is directed at Clausius’ detailed calculations involving the Carnot Cycle and its role in the development of the concept of entropy (pp.196-223).Much space is also devoted to the “theory of radiation of heat.” The concept of the ideal black body is ascribed to Kirchoff (p.136). There is also the interesting observation that an ink spot on a heated strip of platinum is the first place to glow red, an observation suggesting that the best absorber is also the best radiator (p.137).A very brief mention is made of Boltzmann’s concept of statistical entropy (p.334), but in a very snide and condescending manner.The principle of the conservation of energy is attributed to Joule, who observed that “destruction of living force cannot take place” (p.243).Mach was evidently an admirer of the British approach to science as an empirical endeavor such that “the Englishman is never surrounded by metaphysical clouds” (p.244). Along these same lines as admiring all things British, Mach gives James Clerk Maxwell credit for classifying entropy as a state variable (p.277). Perhaps Mach’s high opinion of British scientists (including Thompson p.280) might also be interpreted as a slight directed toward his own German-speaking colleague Ludwig Boltzmann.

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