Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- 1 On some Electromagnetic Phenomena considered in connexion with the Dynamical Theory
- 2 On an Electromagnetic Experiment
- 3 On the values of the Integral being Laplace's Coefficients of the orders n, n', with an application to the Theory of Radiation
- 4 Remarks on a paper by Dr Sondhauss
- 5 On the Theory of Resonance
- 6 Note on the explanation of Coronas, as given in Verdet's Leçons d'Optique Physique, and other works
- 7 Some Experiments on Colour
- 8 On the Light from the Sky, its Polarization and Colour
- 9 On the Scattering of Light by small Particles
- 10 On Double Refraction
- 11 On the Reflection of Light from Transparent Matter
- 12 On a Correction sometimes required in Curves professing to represent the connexion between two Physical Magnitudes
- 13 On the Vibrations of a Gas contained within a Rigid Spherical Envelope
- 14 Investigation of the Disturbance produced by a Spherical Obstacle on the Waves of Sound
- 15 Notes on Bessel's Functions
- 16 On the Reflection and Refraction of Light by Intensely Opaque Matter
- 17 Preliminary note on the Reproduction of Diffraction-Gratings by means of Photography
- 18 On the Application of Photography to copy Diffraction-Gratings
- 19 On the Diffraction of Object-Glasses
- 20 An Experiment to illustrate the Induction on itself of an Electric Current
- 21 Some General Theorems relating to Vibrations
- 22 On the Nodal Lines of a Square Plate
- 23 Note on a Natural Limit to the Sharpness of Spectral Lines
- 24 On the Vibrations of Approximately Simple Systems
- 25 On the Fundamental Modes of a Vibrating System
- 26 Vibrations of Membranes
- 27 Harmonic Echoes
- 28 Note on the Numerical Calculation of the Roots of Fluctuating Functions
- 29 A History of the Mathematical Theories of Attraction and the Figure of the Earth from the time of Newton to that of Laplace
- 30 On the Manufacture and Theory of Diffraction-Gratings
- 31 Insects and the Colours of Flowers
- 32 A Statical Theorem
- 33 Mr Hamilton's String Organ
- 34 General Theorems relating to Equilibrium and Initial and Steady Motions
- 35 On the Dissipation of Energy
- 36 On the Work that may be gained during the Mixing of Gases
- 37 Vibrations of a Liquid in a Cylindrical Vessel
- 38 On Waves
- 39 On the Approximate Solution of Certain Problems relating to the Potential
- 40 Our Perception of the Direction of a Source of Sound
- 41 Questions from Mathematical Tripos Examination for 1876
- 42 On the Resistance of Fluids
- 43 Notes on Hydrodynamics
- 44 On the Application of the Principle of Reciprocity to Acoustics
- 45 On a Permanent Deflection of the Galvanometer-Needle under the influence of a rapid series of equal and opposite Induced Currents
- 46 Acoustical Observations. I
- 47 On Progressive Waves
- 48 On the Amplitude of Sound-Waves
- 49 Absolute Pitch
- 50 On Mr Venn's Explanation of a Gambling Paradox
- 51 On the Relation between the Functions of Laplace and Bessel
- 52 Note on Acoustic Repulsion
- 53 On the Irregular Flight of a Tennis-Ball
- 54 A simple Proof of a Theorem relating to the Potential
- 55 The Explanation of certain Acoustical Phenomena
- 56 Uniformity of Rotation
- 57 On the Determination of Absolute Pitch by the Common Harmonium
- 58 On the Instability of Jets
- 59 The Influence of Electricity on Colliding Water Drops
- 60 On the Capillary Phenomena of Jets
- 61 Acoustical Observations. II
- 62 Investigations in Optics, with special reference to the Spectro-scope
- 63 On Reflection of Vibrations at the Confines of two Media between which the Transition is Gradual
- 64 On the Minimum Aberration of a Single Lens for Parallel Rays
- 65 Acoustical Observations. III
- 66 On the Stability, or Instability, of certain Fluid Motions
- 67 On the Resolving-Power of Telescopes
- 68 On the Resultant of a large number of Vibrations of the same Pitch and of arbitrary Phase
- 69 Note on the Theory of the Induction Balance
- 70 On a New Arrangement for Sensitive Flames
- 71 The Photophone
- 72 On Copying Diffraction-Gratings, and on some Phenomena connected therewith
- 73 On Images formed without Reflection or Refraction
- 74 On the Electromagnetic Theory of Light
- 75 On the Velocity of Light
- 76 On a Question in the Theory of Lighting
- 77 Experiments on Colour
- 78 On the Infinitesimal Bending of Surfaces of Revolution
35 - On the Dissipation of Energy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- 1 On some Electromagnetic Phenomena considered in connexion with the Dynamical Theory
- 2 On an Electromagnetic Experiment
- 3 On the values of the Integral being Laplace's Coefficients of the orders n, n', with an application to the Theory of Radiation
- 4 Remarks on a paper by Dr Sondhauss
- 5 On the Theory of Resonance
- 6 Note on the explanation of Coronas, as given in Verdet's Leçons d'Optique Physique, and other works
- 7 Some Experiments on Colour
- 8 On the Light from the Sky, its Polarization and Colour
- 9 On the Scattering of Light by small Particles
- 10 On Double Refraction
- 11 On the Reflection of Light from Transparent Matter
- 12 On a Correction sometimes required in Curves professing to represent the connexion between two Physical Magnitudes
- 13 On the Vibrations of a Gas contained within a Rigid Spherical Envelope
- 14 Investigation of the Disturbance produced by a Spherical Obstacle on the Waves of Sound
- 15 Notes on Bessel's Functions
- 16 On the Reflection and Refraction of Light by Intensely Opaque Matter
- 17 Preliminary note on the Reproduction of Diffraction-Gratings by means of Photography
- 18 On the Application of Photography to copy Diffraction-Gratings
- 19 On the Diffraction of Object-Glasses
- 20 An Experiment to illustrate the Induction on itself of an Electric Current
- 21 Some General Theorems relating to Vibrations
- 22 On the Nodal Lines of a Square Plate
- 23 Note on a Natural Limit to the Sharpness of Spectral Lines
- 24 On the Vibrations of Approximately Simple Systems
- 25 On the Fundamental Modes of a Vibrating System
- 26 Vibrations of Membranes
- 27 Harmonic Echoes
- 28 Note on the Numerical Calculation of the Roots of Fluctuating Functions
- 29 A History of the Mathematical Theories of Attraction and the Figure of the Earth from the time of Newton to that of Laplace
- 30 On the Manufacture and Theory of Diffraction-Gratings
- 31 Insects and the Colours of Flowers
- 32 A Statical Theorem
- 33 Mr Hamilton's String Organ
- 34 General Theorems relating to Equilibrium and Initial and Steady Motions
- 35 On the Dissipation of Energy
- 36 On the Work that may be gained during the Mixing of Gases
- 37 Vibrations of a Liquid in a Cylindrical Vessel
- 38 On Waves
- 39 On the Approximate Solution of Certain Problems relating to the Potential
- 40 Our Perception of the Direction of a Source of Sound
- 41 Questions from Mathematical Tripos Examination for 1876
- 42 On the Resistance of Fluids
- 43 Notes on Hydrodynamics
- 44 On the Application of the Principle of Reciprocity to Acoustics
- 45 On a Permanent Deflection of the Galvanometer-Needle under the influence of a rapid series of equal and opposite Induced Currents
- 46 Acoustical Observations. I
- 47 On Progressive Waves
- 48 On the Amplitude of Sound-Waves
- 49 Absolute Pitch
- 50 On Mr Venn's Explanation of a Gambling Paradox
- 51 On the Relation between the Functions of Laplace and Bessel
- 52 Note on Acoustic Repulsion
- 53 On the Irregular Flight of a Tennis-Ball
- 54 A simple Proof of a Theorem relating to the Potential
- 55 The Explanation of certain Acoustical Phenomena
- 56 Uniformity of Rotation
- 57 On the Determination of Absolute Pitch by the Common Harmonium
- 58 On the Instability of Jets
- 59 The Influence of Electricity on Colliding Water Drops
- 60 On the Capillary Phenomena of Jets
- 61 Acoustical Observations. II
- 62 Investigations in Optics, with special reference to the Spectro-scope
- 63 On Reflection of Vibrations at the Confines of two Media between which the Transition is Gradual
- 64 On the Minimum Aberration of a Single Lens for Parallel Rays
- 65 Acoustical Observations. III
- 66 On the Stability, or Instability, of certain Fluid Motions
- 67 On the Resolving-Power of Telescopes
- 68 On the Resultant of a large number of Vibrations of the same Pitch and of arbitrary Phase
- 69 Note on the Theory of the Induction Balance
- 70 On a New Arrangement for Sensitive Flames
- 71 The Photophone
- 72 On Copying Diffraction-Gratings, and on some Phenomena connected therewith
- 73 On Images formed without Reflection or Refraction
- 74 On the Electromagnetic Theory of Light
- 75 On the Velocity of Light
- 76 On a Question in the Theory of Lighting
- 77 Experiments on Colour
- 78 On the Infinitesimal Bending of Surfaces of Revolution
Summary
The second law of thermodynamics, and the theory of dissipation founded upon it, has been for some years a favourite subject with mathematical physicists, but has not hitherto received full recognition from engineers and chemists, nor from the scientific public. And yet the question under what circumstances it is possible to obtain work from heat is of the first importance. Merely to know that when work is done by means of heat, a so-called equivalent of heat disappears is a very small part of what it concerns us to recognize.
A heat-engine is an apparatus capable of doing work by means of heat supplied to it at a high temperature and abstracted at a lower, and thermodynamics shows that the fraction of the heat supplied capable of conversion into work depends on the limits of temperature between which the machine operates. A non-condensing steam-engine is not, properly speaking, a heatengine at all, inasmuch as it requires to be supplied with water as well as heat, but it may be treated correctly as a heat-engine giving up heat at 212° Fahr. This is the lower point of temperature. The higher is that at which the water boils in the boiler, perhaps 360° Fahr. The range of temperature available in a non-condensing steam-engine is therefore small at best, and the importance of working at a high pressure is very apparent. In a condensing engine the heat may be delivered up at 80° Fahr.
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- Scientific Papers , pp. 238 - 241Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009First published in: 1899